Growing Nonprofit Buys Third Ward Building

151 and 159-165 N. Broadway. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

The Difference Principle is on the move.

The nonprofit, which leads JusticePoint and Sirona Recovery in addition to a consulting practice, purchased a two-story building on the southern end of the Historic Third Ward.

The Difference Principle will relocate its administrative offices from leased space in Westown to the second floor of the 10,935-square-foot building at 159-165 N. Broadway. The first floor will continue to be leased to commercial tenants.

The community-facing services provided by JusticePoint and Sirona, said chief operating officer Edward Gordon in an interview, will continue to be based out of other locations across the state and Minnesota.

“We’ll be doing a full renovation of the second floor,” said Gordon.

The Difference Principle was created in 2014 by Gordon and co-founder Nick Sayner as a home for JusticePoint.

“We set it up really to provide the back office administrative services to our subsidiaries as well as to provide those services throughout the Midwest,” said Gordon. “Things like accounting services, IT services, HR services, development, grant writing.”

Those functions will relocate to the Third Ward from leased space in the Steinmeyer Building, 205 W. Highland Ave., near Fiserv Forum.

Mainstream Boutique continues to operate on the first floor of the Third Ward building, while sister business Access Boutique closed in November. Both are led by Jeanette Dvorak, who, in a social media post announcing the closure, said she is heading towards retirement

According to Gordon, the Difference Principle will maintain its Milwaukee-based JusticePoint and Sinora operations in their current locations to be close to the people they serve.

JusticePoint provides criminal justice programming to individuals in more than 15 counties across Wisconsin and Minnesota. In alignment with county or municipal court systems, it works to reduce recidivism and provides services, including incarceration alternatives.

Sirona was launched in 2020 as part of a mission realignment. It incorporates treatment and recovery services for individuals experiencing substance abuse or mental health issues. Sinora provides services in Milwaukee through a partnership with Milwaukee County in leased space in the Steinmeyer Building. Gordon said it may relocate or divide the Milwaukee office to be in locations closer to the people it serves. Sinora, in partnership with other Wisconsin governmental human services agencies, has locations in several other counties.

The nonprofit, according to state real estate transfer records, purchased the Third Ward building for $2.1 million and a neighboring parking lot, 151 N. Broadway, for $558,000. The parking lot will continue to be leased to building tenants and available as public parking.

“We decided to kind of invest in ourselves,” said Gordon of the switch from leased space.

The properties were long owned by Susan Flaherty.

The building, according to a Wisconsin Historical Society report, was constructed in 1908 and expanded in 1916. It was designed by architect A.V. Wiskocil as a warehouse for Wenzel Toepfer and Sons. But the building is most commonly associated with its multi-decade tenant, the model kit manufacturer and wholesaler H.F. Auler Company.

JusticePoint, said Gordon, continues to provide services for the Milwaukee Municipal Court while awaiting a Court of Appeals ruling. In 2023, without public explanation and before a third judge was elected, the court attempted to cancel the contract with JusticePoint. The organization sued and an injunction was granted. The organization, said Gordon, wants the court to issue a request for proposals to provide a court alternatives program.

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