For nearly two decades, the Milwaukee Business Journal  has celebrated the projects that are transforming Southeast Wisconsin’s skyline. This year, GRAEF is proud to have contributed to six of the finalist projects recognized in the 2025 Real Estate Awards—including the Baird Center Expansion, which earned the prestigious title of “Project of the Year.”

Additionally, The Couture, the Village of Germantown Department of Public Works Facility, and ProHealth Care Waukesha Memorial Hospital NICU Expansion and Renovation were each honored as winners in their respective categories.

Baird Center Expansion

Project of the Year

GRAEF served as the structural engineer for this historic exposition hall expansion as a part of The Wisconsin Center District in Downtown Milwaukee.

The $456 million Baird Center Expansion project opened in May of 2024, boosting Milwaukee’s tourism industry and economy by better equipping the city to host events of all types and sizes. The project brings the existing exposition hall to 300,000 contiguous square feet, adding 24 new meeting rooms, additional parking, six loading docks, executive kitchen, and a spectacular fourth-floor ballroom with space for a minimum of 2,000 for a seated dinner.

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GRAEF projects honored in top categories include:

• Village of Germantown Department of Public Works Facility Top Public Sector New Construction Project
• The Couture Top Multifamily/Mixed-Use New Construction Project
• ProHealth Care Waukesha Memorial Hospital NICU Expansion and Renovation Top Health Care Reuse or Expansion Project

Additionally, GRAEF projects that were finalists for this year’s Real Estate Awards include:

• 333 North Water - A 31-story, 327,352-square-foot apartment tower.

• Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Sleep Lab Renovation - A 12,000-square-foot sleep lab with 12 bed

We’re proud to help shape the built environment through projects that serve communities, drive economic growth, and elevate everyday experiences. From transformative civic facilities to innovative healthcare and mixed-use developments, our work reflects GRAEF’s commitment to creating spaces that matter. These recognitions affirm the lasting impact our team strives to make across Wisconsin and beyond.