A groundbreaking ceremony was held Wednesday to celebrate the start of construction for a two-story, 105,000-square-foot Johnson Controls engineering center building northeast of Florist Avenue and Baker Road, near the company’s headquarters campus in Glendale.
About 250 engineering and technology-focused employees will be based at the facility, which is being developed by Weas Development. Other project partners include Mortenson Construction, Eppstein Uhen Architects and CBRE.
Johnson Controls is a manufacturer of fire, HVAC and security equipment for buildings. It is technically based in Ireland, but its operational headquarters are in Glendale, across the street from the engineering center site. The company announced in January 2021 its plans to sell its downtown Milwaukee buildings and move its employees from there to Glendale.
“Buildings account for nearly 40% of global emissions, meaning we have the opportunity to solve one of the most important challenges of our time by applying innovative technologies through healthy, safe and sustainable buildings. As part of this journey, we are committed to investing in working environments with the tools and resources that accelerate innovation, foster collaboration and improve efficiency, allowing us to deliver world-class solutions to our customers,” said George Oliver, Johnson Controls chairman and CEO. “This new facility is an important step for Johnson Controls and a continuing sign of our commitment to innovation and the Milwaukee metro community we call home.”
Johnson Controls is also making improvements to its Glendale headquarters, including contemporary workstations and collaboration spaces. That work will be completed over the coming months.
