Owner/developer: La Causa Inc.
Architects: Madisen Maher Architects Inc.
Contractor: Wellspring Construction Group
Costs: $5.2 million
Year Completed: 2021
La Causa moved into its newly built corporate headquarters in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood last fall. The 15,000-square-foot, two-story building sits on a former parking lot that the nonprofit purchased from Milwaukee-based Rockwell Automation Inc.
With Rockwell’s campus and famed Allen-Bradley Clock Tower directly to the east and I-94 to the west, the gated 1-acre site at 413 W. Scott St. is referred to fondly as “La Causa Island” by the 30-plus administrative employees who work on site daily.
The building’s glass-fronted, earth-toned façade stands out against the aged houses and historic red brick church across the street, but the interior was designed to fit the neighborhood’s industrial origins with exposed iron beams and cream-colored brick. Natural wood accents, warm lighting and leather furniture give off a rustic look, like an “Up North lodge,” said president and chief executive officer George Torres, who began efforts to secure a home for La Causa’s headquarters about seven years ago.
“I didn’t want your basic office-looking building,” he said.
The building’s amenities reflect a modern-day work environment. There are conference rooms of varying sizes featuring Clevertouch TVs for hybrid meetings and both indoor and outdoor seating areas for employees to work or socialize.
La Causa has operations at multiple sites in the Walker’s Point neighborhood, including its charter school on South Second Street, its early education and care center on West Greenfield Avenue and its crisis nursery and respite center on West Walker Street, in addition to its social services office building in Glendale.
“Our heart was always in this Walker’s Point area. … We wanted to make sure to let the community know that we’re not going anywhere,” said Torres.
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