Milwaukee Office Tower Earns LEED Gold Certification

By Ioana Neamt, Associate Editor

411 East Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE, Wis.—Chicago-based Riverview Realty Partners, an affiliate of Five Mile Capital Partners of Stamford, Conn., recently announced that its 411 East Wisconsin office building in downtown Milwaukee has earned LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The 30-story, Class A property built in 1985 is the first and only multi-tenant office building in the city’s Central Business District to receive the certification, as well as the largest LEED Gold certified building in the metro. 411 East Wisconsin has also earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR certification, with a score of 91.

“The value of embracing environmentally sustainable practices at office buildings is becoming increasingly critical to attracting and retaining quality tenants,” Jeff Patterson, CEO of Riverview Realty Partners, said in a statement. “After acquiring 411 East Wisconsin, we put into place a multimillion dollar renovation plan to modernize the building’s system and amenities. Focusing on sustainability was a logical and critical component of that process,” Patterson added.

As part of achieving LEED Gold certification for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance, Riverview Realty Partners also introduced an extensive sustainability plan which will include: incorporating energy efficient LED lighting systems with occupancy sensors, Energy Star-rated plumbing fixtures and high efficiency building chillers; introducing an Overarching Building Automation System to curb energy consumption; establishing new waste management and recycling policies; instituting a new Shipping and Receiving Protocol and a new Painting Protocol; encouraging tenants to help reduce emission and traffic congestion by carpooling, bicycling and using public transportation.

Riverview Realty Partners acquired the 654,000-square-foot building in 2014 for $74 million. The company is currently working on a $15 million renovation plan that includes new elevators and HVAC systems, the expansion of the 35,000-square-foot Wisconsin Athletic Club, as well as the upgrade of the building’s common areas.

Tenants at 411 East Wisconsin include law firms Quarles & Brady and von Briesen & Roper, Northwestern Mutual, Morgan Stanley, Wisconsin Athletic Club and PNC Bank.

Image courtesy of CBRE