The Baird Center | The Heartbeat of Milwaukee
2025 Engineering Excellence State Finalist
Entering Firm: GRAEF
Client: Wisconsin Center District
Milwaukee’s Wisconsin Center, which had served the city for 20 years, was unable to accommodate large-scale events, limiting the city’s potential for hosting conventions and entertainment shows. Any new facility had to be ready to go for the 2024 Republican National Convention, putting a hard deadline on any work.
GRAEF developed a plan to accelerate design and construction, ensuring that the deadline was met. All pieces of information were unified into a single database, so engineers could see what materials would be used during construction, significantly speeding up the project and improving inter-team coordination. The project is pursuing Silver LEED certification, made possible by environmentally conscious decisions throughout.
While designing, the team ran into several engineering challenges, especially with the design of the 150-foot span ballroom atop a column-free exhibit hall. Continuous steel trusses ensure structural integrity while eliminating columns and pile caps to meet programming needs. The exhibit hall was expanded to 300,000 square feet, with the north end cantilevering over a sidewalk to maximize space. A new fourth-floor, featuring ballroom and “patio” provide the venue with a unique attraction.
Key achievements included seismic retrofitting, structural enhancements, and intricate design elements. The Baird Center now stands as a modern, versatile venue, showcasing engineering excellence and projected to increase event demand by 30-50 percent.