At a time when many business leaders questioned the need for office real estate, Northwestern Mutual CEO John Schlifske spent 2021 and 2022 weighing options for the company’s aging north building in downtown Milwaukee.
As Schlifske saw it, the Milwaukee-based life insurance company had three options for its north building: Tear it down and move employees to the company’s Franklin campus; demolish the building and rebuild a new one in its place; or renovate the existing building.
Northwestern Mutual today released the first images of its planned 32-story downtown Milwaukee office tower designed by Pickard Chilton. The 1.1-million-square-foot building which is expected to cost $450 million will replace Northwestern Mutual's office at 800 E. Wisconsin Ave. on Milwaukee’s lakefront.
Northwestern Mutual officials have not strayed far beyond the simple description of “iconic” for the design of their planned downtown office. The development will be an at least $300 million, 30-story office tower to replace Northwestern Mutual’s downtown building.