A spot for dogs helps downtown office building
A tenant at CityCenter@735 was going through a rough time, and asked property manager Sheldon Oppermann if she could bring her dog to the downtown office building for comfort.
Opperman didn’t see a problem, and later decided to make the entire property dog-friendly. But, there were ... accidents.
Dogs used to peeing on grass sometimes have trouble adjusting to doing the same in an urban environment dominated by concrete, Oppermann said. So, last summer, CityCenter added a small outdoor dog lounge with a patch of artificial turf.
The dog pee spot joins other features, including a pontoon boat “conference room,” which the 16-story historic building, 735 N. Water St., uses to compete with newer office towers.
Accidents still occasionally occur. But it’s not a big deal.
“We let people bring their dogs,” said Oppermann, executive vice president and general counsel at building operator Compass Properties LLC. “These office towers can’t do that because they can’t get their heads around what happens when a dog poops in the elevator.”
What happens?
“We clean it up,” said Oppermann.
CityCenter’s occupancy rate just rose to around 90 percent when WageWorks Inc. moved this week into 37,000 square feet on the top two floors.
The firm moved from 10375 N. Baldev Court, Mequon, to streamline its operations, obtain space for future growth and better retain and attract younger employees.
“The vibrancy of downtown Milwaukee reflects our culture and values, and we’re thrilled to join this dynamic community,” Joe Jackson, WageWorks chair and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
Compass Properties largely gutted CityCenter’s 15th and 16th floors to accommodate WageWorks.
The employee benefits administrator, based in San Mateo, Calif., will initially have 157 employees at CityCenter, with room for eventually having 260 employees at the Milwaukee office.
“They expect to hire,” Oppermann said. “Being downtown is part of that.”
But WageWorks had choices throughout downtown. Along with its location, CityCenter competed with its tenant amenities.
Those include a concierge service, conference rooms, and bike storage, locker room and showers for workers who commute by bicycle.
There are also the offbeat features, like Fido’s pee spot.
And the pontoon boat, which Oppermann calls a floating conference room. It allows CityCenter tenants to take advantage of the building’s boat slips along the Milwaukee River.
CityCenter also is tied to the RiverWalk, including a public plaza where East Mason Street ends.
The building also is known for its restored historic lobby, featuring marble floors, ornate lighting fixtures and high ceiling.
The new WageWorks offices include interior brick veneer, an open floor plan with lots of light from large windows, and a new interior stairway to connect the company’s two floors.
CityCenter’s other larger tenants include Gold’s Gym and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
The property has two attached buildings.
The 16-story building, at 735 N. Water St., was completed in 1914 as the headquarters for First National Bank.
An eight-story annex was built in 1952 at 731 N. Water St. That space was vacant for several years before Compass landed Gold’s Gym in 2010. There’s also a parking structure at 734-746 N. Water St.
Compass, which acquired CityCenter in 2002, has made other investments, including upgrading the wireless telecommunications systems, to stay competitive.
Landing WageWorks validates that work, Oppermann said.
“We must be doing something right,” he said.