Baird Center Expansion
Milwaukee
Merit Award
Sent by: Gilbane Building Co.
Owner: Central District of Wisconsin
Main design company: USA (Eppstein Uhen Architects Inc.)
General contractor: Gilbane Building Co. and CD Smith
Civil Engineer: Kapur and Associates
Structural Engineer: ACCOUNT
MEP Engineer: Henderson Engineers
Architect: tvs
Subcontractors: All Crane; All-Tech Decorating Co.; American Design Associates; ANI-Midwest Fire resistant and insulation; Arbon Equipment Corp.
Completed in just 27 months, this $456 million effort has doubled the size of the Baird Center to 1.3 million square feet, enhancing the multipurpose facility’s ability to host events of all types.
Sustainability was a top priority for the expansion, which made use of technologies such as triple silver low-e glass on the facade, bird-friendly glass on the walkway, a solar array generating 98,130 kWh, a 320,000 gallon underground stormwater detention system. and an Orca food digester.
Faced with supply chain constraints, the project team sourced cement from multiple suppliers and selected a new type of concrete (Portland Type 1/2) to maintain the schedule, allowing adequate concrete supplies to be obtained. Design assistance activities and value engineering exercises assisted with procurement of long lead items such as electrical components and air handling units.
Efficient use of space was critical, especially when coordinating 50-ton cranes, trusses up to 100,000 pounds, and material deliveries. The main delivery ramp provided access to the convention center, so crews carefully orchestrated travel routes and deliveries, ensuring just-in-time delivery of structural elements and minimizing on-site storage to make efficient use of the available space.
During construction, 2,359 workers drove 2,742 piles, used 5,852 tons of steel and placed 48,000 m3 of concrete. Baird Center opened in May 2024 and is central to the continued revitalization of downtown Milwaukee.
