Irgens Plans 2 Office Buildings In Wauwatosa

WAUWATOSA, WI— Irgens, a local real estate development firm, announced on Friday it has filed preliminary plans for two buildings that would be built in the existing Wauwatosa office park known as the UWM Innovation Campus, according to a news release.

Tom Irgens, executive vice president of Irgens, said the plans filed with the City of
Wauwatosa focus on the north end of the property that the company is purchasing from the
UWM Real Estate Foundation and that efforts on the south end of the property will occur at a
later date as part of a multi-phase development plan.

“The Irgens proposal is consistent with the Life Sciences District Master Plan and
provides continuing protections to the Monarch Butterfly Trail that is further north of the
proposed buildings. In addition, Irgens will design and develop these buildings so they qualify
for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and serve as a
complement to the surrounding environs,” Irgens said. “We support the philosophy that
environmental responsibility and good business practices go hand in hand, and our project will
protect and enhance the existing green spaces in the area and create shared public spaces that
will benefit the community and those who occupy these buildings.”

The Phase One plan will include:

• A 2-story, 53,000 square foot office building on the north end of the property that will incorporate architectural elements that are sensitive to the nearby Monarch Butterfly Habitat Protection Area and further integrate the existing bike and pedestrian connections.
• A 6-story, 197,000 square foot office building abutting the adjacent freeway with connecting sidewalks and a bike path.
• A 2-story parking deck with a 40,000 square foot “green roof” that is planned to include selected vegetations and species that will help attract pollinators while working as part of a stormwater management plan to enhance water retention and reduce the pressure on the existing retention ponds already on the site.

Preliminary estimates indicate that when both Phase I and Phase II, which focuses on the south end of the property, are completed, it will add an estimated $1.8 million in annual tax revenue to the city, the release said.

A total employment for a completed Phase I is projected at about 900 jobs, with an estimated 850 additional jobs being added as a result of completing Phase II. The construction project will employ an estimated 485 workers during the construction of the first two buildings and parking structure, the release said.

Further environmental benefits will include:

• Charging stations for electric cars, an area designated for a Bubblr Bike station and the use of appropriate building materials.
• Sustainable site plan development, the installation of energy efficient technologies, the use of native plantings, and indoor environmental safeguards.
• Because the 2-story garage will have a “green roof,” it eliminates the need for some outdoor lighting, such as light poles around the parking facility.