THE BUILDING

The Citadel words on the Lake

SET ON THE SHORES of Lake Michigan, just south of Bay View Park in St. Francis, the Milwaukee FBI office is a literal fortress.

Driving past, you may only notice that the gray-ish, circular and rectangular structure at 3600 S. Lake Dr. seems a bit unfriendly. From the dark metal fencing to the guarded security checkpoint and the concrete barriers out front, the place gives a very strong “no visitors allowed” vibe.

Headquarters for the local FBI team since 2016, the building previously housed Stark Investments and boasts more than 80,000 square feet of interior space. Before moving into the expansive office, a lot of remodeling was needed to bring it up to FBI security standards.

Among the improvements, the FBI added what you might expect from a federal law enforcement facility – as well as a few things you wouldn't expect. Inside, there's a sally port to safely bring in arrestees, rooms to detain and interview suspects, a couple of simulation and training areas as well as a gym and fitness room, a gun vault and classrooms that can be converted to command posts as needed. There are also a couple of bathrooms used only by agent applicants providing a urine sample for drug testing.

But most significant among the retrofitting was the effort put into securing the facility from attack. All of the exterior windows – even on the lake side – are bulletproof glass. And a steel skeleton was installed from the top of the multi-floor building down through the basement to help prevent collapse in the event of an explosion.

Valued at less than $10 million before the FBI moved in, the building is now estimated to be worth around $45 million.