Name, Operator Revealed For New Luxury Hotel
New life and amenities for old University Club. But what about the canopy?
University Club in July 2024. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
The University Club will soon be known as Hotel Laureum.
Late last week, Northwestern Mutual revealed several details about its plans to overhaul the former private club into a boutique hotel.
The six-story building is to include 35 guest rooms, full-service restaurants on the first and sixth floors and event spaces on the first and second floors.
The insurance company, whose corporate headquarters is located to the south, intends to open the new hotel in spring 2027 in advance of its 147th annual meeting. The company’s $500 million redevelopment of its North Building into a clone of its signature 32-story tower is also expected to be complete at that time.
“Northwestern Mutual is proud to announce the evolution of the historic University Club property – an important landmark overlooking Lake Michigan in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. Inspired by distinction and achievement, Hotel Laureum will create an elevated hospitality experience that pays homage to the city’s heritage while paving the way for the future,” said Tom Zale, Northwestern Mutual vice president of development, in a statement.
The hotel will be managed by Charlestowne Hotels. Kahler Slater is leading the design and Oxeland Group is serving as the general contractor. Michael DeMichele is serving as the owner’s representative.
“‘Hotel Laureum’ derives from the Latin word ‘laureus,’ meaning ‘of the laurel’ – a symbol of victory and honor,” says a press release. “The name conveys scholarly achievement and timeless elegance, establishing the hotel as a place where history and modern sophistication converge. Hotel Laureum serves as a landmark of global refinement and local heritage, offering guests a cultural sanctuary at Milwaukee’s edge.”
The University Club moved into the building, which overlooks Juneau Park and Lake Michigan, in 1928. But the club abruptly closed the facility in December 2023, amid financial difficulties. It had merged with the Tripoli Country Club in 2016, and now only the country club remains. The club reverted to the Tripoli name earlier in 2025.
Northwestern Mutual purchased the property for $4.25 million in June 2024.
Historic protection
Planned canopy at University Club. Rendering by Kahler Slater.
The Georgian Revival-style building was designed by architect John Russell Pope. According to a Wisconsin Historical Society report, the partial sixth floor was added in 1953. The club was founded in 1898 by a group of college graduates with a mission to share ideas and grow relationships.
The building is locally designated as a historic structure, requiring any exterior modifications to be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission and approved by the city.
The commission last Monday asked the company to reconsider its plans to add a large Art Nouveau-style canopy along E. Wells Street and held off taking a formal vote.
“I got to tell you that looks weird,” said area Alderman and commission chair Robert Bauman. “That’s a new term of art. That looks strange.” He compared it to the entrance to a Paris subway station.
DeMichele, a licensed architect, and representatives from Kahler Slater discussed potential modifications with the commission.
“It’s trying to be as light as possible and to get to the sidewalk,” said DeMichele of what he described as a delicate balance embedded in the proposed curved design.
The commission next meets on Jan. 12. It encouraged the project team to return with a modified design.
The other changes drew praise.
“What they are doing to the parking annex is a notable improvement,” said senior planner Tim Askin of the changes to the connecting structure to the north. Windows are to be aligned with the primary building, and the entryway is to be restyled.
The building has been wrapped in scaffolding for several months, but major construction is not expected to begin until January 2026.
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