The Walker’s Point building that housed former event venue The Point and The Sangria Bar will soon be transformed into an “oasis” for weddings and private events with an outdoor patio bar open to the public.
Ramsey Renno and Tyler Curran, who founded event entertainment company Milwaukee Airwaves in 2010, recently purchased the 906 S. Barclay St. building and plan to hold events in it by early July.
Renno said the two had been searching over the past five years for their own event venue. Milwaukee Airwaves, which offers lighting, sound and DJ entertainment for private events, was hired for 225 weddings last year and aims to increase that number to 250 this year, Curran said.
They plan to renovate the building and main event room– which will be named The Ivy House— to expose the structure’s cream city brick walls and windows that were covered up by the building’s previous owners. The space will be complete with indoor greenery, including ivy growing up the walls, and natural lighting to create a contemporary and bright atmosphere, Renno said.
“We are building a modern aesthetic into this industrial space,” Curran said. “Because of our experience in the wedding industry, we know what brides are looking for. We saw a nice blank canvas that we could create into something a lot of young couples will like.”
The venue will also feature an outdoor space with a bar area that will be open to the public during summer months. The patio, to be named Fernweh– a German word for wanderlust, or the urge to travel– will feature live performances by local artists and bands. It will remain open for the public even during private events in the venue’s main room, Renno said.
“When you see a place and you have a longing to be there– that’s wanderlust,” Renno said. “We have ben working a long time toward our goal but we want to work within the community on this and that means opening our door and working with their needs.”
The Ivy House will have a small food preparation kitchen for outside vendors. Curran said they plan to work with area restaurants and caterers for events, but will not offer house-made food. They also plan to partner with local food trucks to provide dining options on the outdoor patio.
