Kahler Slater plans HQ move to BMO Tower

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The architecture firm Kahler Slater is planning to move its headquarters to the recently completed BMO Tower in downtown Milwaukee — a 25-story building it helped designed.

Kahler Slater’s 95 employees will occupy 15,000 square feet of office space on the 17th floor of the tower after moving from their current office at the ASQ Center, 111 W. Wisconsin Ave., in the city’s Westown neighborhood, in August. The firm helped design the BMO tower with the developer Irgens Partners.

Construction wrapped up in September on the tower, which serves as BMO Financial Group’s Wisconsin headquarters.

“We have enjoyed watching the resurgence of the Westown Neighborhood from our home at the ASQ Center for nearly 20 years, but we seized the opportunity to write the next chapter for
Kahler Slater,” Glenn Roby, executive vice president of Kahler Slater, said in a statement. “It was important to our people that we remain right in the heart of our city and all that it has to offer.”

Among the building’s features is a touchless-entry system for workers and special air-quality systems, according to a news release — features meant to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Kahler Slater provides designs for clients in various fields, including healthcare, higher education, corporate offices and sports and fitness centers. In addition to its Milwaukee headquarters, the firm has offices in Madison, Chicago, Richmond, Virginia and Singapore.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, in a news release, praised Kahler Slater’s decision to move to the BMO Tower, which is adjacent from City Hall.

“For a long time, the people at Kahler Slater have known about the advantages of being in the center of the City of Milwaukee,” Barrett said. “There is no better place in the state to take full advantage of the proximity, activity and vitality found in an urban downtown.”