UPAF names 2016 campaign co-chairs, debuts celebrity videos promoting the arts

The United Performing Arts Fund is culminating its record-breaking year Wednesday by introducing the campaign co-chairs for 2016 and launching the debut of two videos promoting the arts starring former Milwaukee Bucks star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Donny Most, who played Ralph Malph on “Happy Days.” UPAF’s campaign co-chairs for 2016 will be Paul Eberle, chief executive of Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek SC; Paul Purcell, chairman and CEO of Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.; and Peggy Williams-Smith, senior vice president of SafeHouse Restaurants and Marcus Hotels and Resorts. A goal for the 2016 campaign is yet to be determined. In addition, outgoing UPAF board chair Curt Culver of MGIC Investment Corp. is passing the baton to incoming chair Jon Van Drisse, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. The united arts fund announced a final total of $12,018,207 for the 2015 campaign. The money provides operating funds for 15 member performing arts groups and a number of affiliate groups. The total topped an $11.86 million goal and represented an increase of 2.3 percent compared with the previous year’s campaign. At the annual meeting Wednesday at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center in Milwaukee, UPAF is introducing a pair of videos promoting the arts starring NBA star Abdul-Jabbar and Most, best known for his role in the Milwaukee-set “Happy Days” sitcom. The videos were produced by WDJT-TV (Channel 58), the local CBS affiliate. Both celebrities were in town recently. Abdul-Jabbar was featured in a November segment of CBS 58’s Sunday morning news magazine, and Most made an appearance for his “Donny Most Sings and Swings” tour at Wisconsin Lutheran College Sept. 13. Both personalities had worked previously with Dave Fantle, UPAF’s director of marketing, when Fantle was working with the Wisconsin Department of Tourism and Visit Milwaukee. The videos from Abdul-Jabbar ( click here) and Most ( click here) are available on YouTube. See one of the videos below. Also at the annual meeting, UPAF presented the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra with the UPAF Arts Education Award, sponsored by BMO Harris Bank, and First Stage with the UPAF Good Stewards Award, sponsored by the Northwestern Mutual Foundation. Sue Frautschi, current board member of Renaissance Theaterworks, past board president for the Skylight Music Theatre and former UPAF board member, was honored for her active support of arts education and was presented the UPAF Notable Women Award, also sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.

ManpowerGroup adds Marquette chair Ferraro to board of directors

ManpowerGroup Inc. has elected a well-known Milwaukee leader to its board of directors. The Milwaukee-based workforce company is adding John Ferraro, former global chief operating officer of Ernst & Young and current chair of the Marquette University board of trustees, to its board effective Jan. 1. “We’re delighted to welcome John to the board – he is a superb fit,” said Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup CEO. “His impressive global experience in professional services is well-suited to our business and he will be a great asset to ManpowerGroup’s future.” Prising also transitions into the chairman role at ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) on Dec. 31. Ferraro also sits on the executive board for Advance Auto Parts Inc. and International Flavors and Fragrances Inc., of New York City.

Johnson Controls spinoff leasing 11th floor of 833 East

Johnson Controls leases space in 833 East for automotive spinoff’s CEO offices

Hammes Partners racks up $130 million in investments with Presence Health in Chicago

Hammes Partners — the private-equity arm of Brookfield-based Hammes Co. — has invested about $130 million in two Chicagoland health care projects for Presence Health Group. The latest is an $11 million, 28,928-square-foot senior health pavilion and family immediate care center in Romeoville. Construction is expected to be completed in summer 2016. Hammes Partners is the developer and owner of the project. Hammes Co. is the project manager on behalf of Hammes Partners. Hammes Partners and Hammes Co. also were heavily involved with a much larger Presence Health Group project that opened in September in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. The project cost $150 million and Hammes Partners provided $120 million in financing, said Todd Kibler, a principal of Hammes Partners. Hammes Partners retains ownership of the Presence Center for Advanced Care by Saint Joseph Hospital. Hammes Co. was the developer and is handling leasing. Presence Health runs more than 150 locations around Illinois, including 11 hospitals and 27 long-term care and senior living facilities. Hammes Partners continues deploying capital nationally by acquiring and developing health care facilities for large health care systems, Kibler said. Hammes Partners II in July announced closing its fund after raising $430 million-plus from institutional investors. Jon Hammes is the founder and managing partner of Hammes Co. and a director of Hammes Partners.

A People on the Move spotlight

Tony Seaman has joined Zizzo Group, Milwaukee, as vice president and creative director. He answered a few questions for the Milwaukee Business Journal and a portion of his responses ran in the Dec. 11 print edition of the paper. Here are his complete answers. New position: VP, creative director, Zizzo Group, Milwaukee Hometown: Waupun Education: Bachelor of science degree in art, University of Wisconsin-Madison What attracted you to this new opportunity:“The energy level of the senior leadership, the mix of longstanding talent and new hires, and the chance to work again in the Third Ward.” Thoughts on your position:“A creative director is a circus performer — balancing his/her personality to fit any given room, juggling the egos of those in the creative department, and walking the tightrope between art and commerce.” First job:“First ever job was delivering the Milwaukee Sentinel by bike every weekday morning, and the Journal on Sundays, of course. My first job in the ad biz was art director for Boelter + Lincoln.” Career advice:“Listen and learn from those who came before you. Respect your craft. And always remember that anything less than your best effort isn’t going to cut it.” Personal hero:“Alex Bogusky — a creative giant in the ad biz who walked away to re-channel his energy towards social advocacy.” Last book read:“The Sage of Waterloo” by Leona Francombe. Napolean’s last battle as described by a rabbit.” Person you would most like to meet:“Thomas Jefferson. I’d love to pick that guy’s mind.” Family:“Cindy, my wife of 14 years; two boys: Benji, 12 and Brody, 8; and our Aussie-Beagle mix, Cooper.” Favorite vacation spot:“New Orleans. The food, the music, the history … did I mention the food?” Most meaningful accomplishment:“I know this is cliché, but I’d have to say my role in producing my kids. Although they are a work in progress.” Favorite film:“‘Repo Man’ — Aliens meet Los Angeles punk scene, plus Harry Dean Stanton.” Favorite Milwaukee restaurant: Conejito’s Likes about Milwaukee:“I love the roll-up-your-sleeves work ethic paired with the creative entrepreneurial vibe in Milwaukee. I see this especially in the food and drink industry, from Growing Power to awesome farm-to-table restaurants to craft breweries.” What you most like doing in your free time:“I enjoy coaching youth sports in Whitefish Bay; hiking, camping, or snowboarding with my family; and catching a Badger game every now and then.”

Burke’s Irish Castle on Blue Mound closed; site will become a craft beer bar

Burke’s Irish Castle, 5328 W. Blue Mound Road, has closed and will become a craft beer bar that also serves food. Sean Burke opened Burke’s in 2012 in what had been the longtime Derry Hegarty‘s Irish Pub and added a full dinner menu in early 2013. Karlis Vecitis, who had been a partner in the business with Burke, will change the format to a craft beer bar and restaurant. Vecitis, who previously operated the nearby Kelly’s Bleachers and who owns Lakeside Supper Club in the Town of Summit among other businesses, said the name would be changed to better reflect the bar’s location near Miller Park. He declined to provide more details immediately about the new business but did say someone knowledgeable about craft beer will operate the bar. A business name for the new bar on a city application was given as Dugout 54, but such names sometimes are only placeholders for paperwork.

Burke’s Irish Castle now closed

Burke’s Irish Castle, 5328 West Blue Mound Rd, has served up its last pint. General Manager Eric Repka confirmed by phone that the last day of business for the popular west side Irish brewpub was Saturday, Dec. 5. Owner Sean Burke acquired the bar and restaurant in April of 2012giving it new life with an extensive remodel. Despite a flurry of rumors surrounding who might be taking over the bar and restaurant, we have not yet received confirmation from the new owners. However, you can stay tuned to OnMilwaukee for updates as additional details develop.

KPMG moving to 833 E. Michigan

KPMG LLP will move its Milwaukee office from the US Bank building to the 17-story office tower Irgens is building at 833 E. Michigan St. in downtown Milwaukee. The new space will be slightly smaller than the firm’s current 15,000-square-foot space at the US Bank building. KPMG operates in 155 countries and has more than 162,000 people working in firms around the world. The firm’s Milwaukee office employees about 100 people.The audit, tax and advisory firm will occupy 12,000-square feet on the building’s 10th floor when it opens in March 2016 – about half of the 26,000-square-foot floor plate. Joseph Rock, managing partner KPMG’s Milwaukee office, said he expects the lease will be signed this week. “We’re excited about the new building,” Rock said. Construction of the $101.5 million building is expected to be complete in March of 2016. More than 65 percent of 833 East is now committed. In September, Major League Baseball and Commissioner Emeritus Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Heck Capital Advisors and Grace Matthews, Inc. were announced as tenants for the building. Heck Capital, of Rhinelander, is leasing 2,712 square feet. Grace Matthews, a Milwaukee-based investment bank, is leasing 6,269 square feet. Milwaukee law firm Godfrey & Kahn will be the anchor tenant in the building and is leasing 77,817 square feet of space. Other previously announced tenants include: Irgens, which will occupy 25,328 square feet; Colliers International, which is leasing 20,422 square feet; Jason Inc., which is leasing 26,043 square feet; First American, which is leasing 5,952 square feet and Cresa, which is leasing 2,516 square feet. In August, Madison-based Noble Chef Hospitality announced it would open a restaurant called Rare Steakhouse in the ground floor of the building.

Ogden buys Brady Street development site for proposed apartments

Ogden Multifamily Partners LLC bought a corner property on East Brady Street in Milwaukee where, if the construction costs work out, it will start construction in spring on a new apartment building. The Milwaukee developer bought the property at 1701 N. Humboldt Ave. this month for $565,000, according to state records. A one-story building that formerly was the Zoom Room pet training center, and before that a laundromat, stands on the property now. Ogden this fall received city approvals to demolish that structure and develop a three-story building with 23 market-rate apartments and first-floor retail space. Jason Pietsch, a principal at Ogden Multifamily, said the development team is getting estimates from contractors to determine the construction costs of the building. If the numbers pencil out, construction could start in spring, Pietsch said. If not, Ogden principals will pursue other options, including potentially leasing out the existing building to other tenants. “If the numbers don’t turn out the way we expect, there will be a plan B,” Pietsch said.

Chris Abele’s requests for legislators’ email lists spark criticism

In public, the contest between Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abeleand his opponent, state Sen. Chris Larson, has been a fairly civil affair. Not so behind the scenes. That’s where Larson and a top staffer with Abele’s campaign are engaging in heated exchanges over an open records request of Larson’s office. Last month, Tia Torhorst — Abele’s campaign manager — asked various Milwaukee legislators, including Larson, to turn over the names and email and street addresses for the thousands of recipients of their official newsletters over the past three months. Some lawmakers are not thrilled with the request, especially because they believe they are being asked to use state resources to help put together a campaign mailing list so Abele’s team can do outreach. Abele and Larson — both Milwaukee Democrats — will face off in February and likely again in April. Rep. Jonathan Brostoff, who is backing Larson, accused Abele of using the records request to try to bully local legislators into lending his campaign a hand. Abele, who officially announced his candidacy on Sunday, doesn’t have a good relationship with many Milwaukee-area Democratic lawmakers. “Abele bullies and buys everything,” Brostoff said. “That’s his modus operandi.” Larson responded to the open records request in his own way. He recently sent a letter to Torhorst saying it would cost $1,200 to get the 390,075 records requested from his office. That figure covers the staff time to gather the records and the cost of making copies. That’s right — it would take a hefty $1,200 to get the names and email and street addresses of the recipients of Larson’s six most recent newsletters, something you’d think would be readily available in a database. Actually, that would be a hefty sum for most of us. But it’s pocket change to Abele, a millionaire who is the son of a billionaire. Abele has already spent more than $500,000 to air his campaign ads. “I don’t think he’ll have any problem coming up with the money,” Larson said. Maybe, but Torhorst is still balking at the bill, which she calls “awfully high.” Torhorst said she submitted the request because Larson “seems to be running for something all the time” and she wanted to see who he was using taxpayer dollars to talk to. She didn’t consider her request very unusual or difficult to fill. Besides, it didn’t take much time for Larson to identify the exact number of records that his staff would have to compile. “Does (Larson) think all public information should be that expensive?” Torhorst asked via email on Saturday. “Is this just because his office has bad time management? Should people seeking information pay more based on poor management of staff?” In fact, Torhorst said, it was the response from Larson’s office that prompted the Abele campaign to make similar requests for other legislators. She wanted to see if it would cost them as much to compile these records as it would Larson’s staff. She said she sent similar requests to Republican […]

Hotel planned at Water Street and Wisconsin Avenue

The First Financial Centre, located at the northeast corner of Water Street and Wisconsin Avenue, is under contract to be sold to a developer who is planning to convert the vacant office space in the building into a hotel, according to numerous commercial real estate sources. The 14-story, 154,200-square-foot building, located at 700 N. Water St., currently is only 30 percent occupied. The new owner is planning to retain the existing office tenants, according to sources. Greg Hanis, president of Hospitality Marketers International Inc., which has a New Berlin office, said if 70 percent of the building is renovated for hotel space, he estimates it could be converted to a 150-190 room hotel. One source familiar with the project said the developer is planning a residential hotel, which would mean an extended stay property. In that case, rooms would be slightly larger so it would more likely be a 150-175 room hotel, Hanis said. The First Financial Centre has been a distressed asset for years, particularly since the Great Recession. Several tenants have left the building in recent years, including former first floor retail tenant Associated Bank in 2014. The building was acquired in 2012 in a deed in lieu of foreclosure action by a trust created by J.P. Morgan Chase Commercial Mortgage Securities Corp. It was then sold at auction for $3.3 million last year, almost half of its assessed value at the time of $6.1 million, to a local investment group. Siegel-Gallagher was hired to resell the property. If built, the new hotel would be one of many that are being planned or are under construction in the downtown area. A 200-room Westin Hotel is proposed just west of the new 17-story 833 East office building. Bear Development plans to convert the Button Block building at 500 N. Water St. into a 94-room Homewood Suites hotel. Since 2012, 422 hotel rooms have been added to downtown Milwaukee – increase that number to 803 rooms if you count the 381-room hotel at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino that opened in 2014. The area in and around downtown now has 4,772 hotel rooms – up from 3,715 in 2009, with most of the growth happening in the past two years. By mid-2016, 313 more rooms will be added to the downtown area, with the 158-room Kimpton Hotel at the northeast corner of Broadway and Chicago Street in the Historic Third Ward and the 155-suite SpringHill Suites at the corner of Fourth and Wells streets both scheduled to open next year.