Listen to this articleDowntown Milwaukee woke up Monday to sights of a new sign on the north end of the U.S. Bank Center, the result of an agreement between the Robert W. Baird & Co. and the building owner.
In July, Baird agreed to extend its lease by five years through 2033 for 456,000 square feet of space and signage at the top of the building and parking garage at 777 E. Wisconsin Ave. A month later, the firm applied for a permit for two illuminated signs on the north and south walls on top of the tower.
The application describes the project as refacing the north and south of the building to Baird with a dark background to look like individual letters at night.
Baird worked with Menomonee Falls-based Staff Electric, Hartsville, Tenn.-based High Angle Services and Lynbrook, New York-based Signs of Success for the project.
According to the application, the job costs $1.2 million. The new signage replaces two U.S. Bank signs, but the building will still be called the U.S. Bank Center. U.S. Bancorp will continue to own the building.
The multinational investment company every few years reviews its current and future space needs, said Steve Booth, chairman and CEO of Baird. “Milwaukee is a great place to do business and U.S. Bank Center has proven to be an excellent location for Baird as we’ve continued to add new talent to best serve our clients. We are committed to the local community and pleased to be a major part of its future,” he added.
Baird is the largest tenant at the 1.1 million-square-foot U.S. Bank Center and occupies 21 floors, company officials said in a statement. There are more than 1,600 Baird employees working in downtown Milwaukee, officials added.
In March, Baird was selected to hold the naming rights for the Baird Center, formerly the Wisconsin Center.
