Forward Space expands operations to service the Milwaukee area
Chicago-based commercial furniture dealer announces new Milwaukee location.
MILWAUKEE and CHICAGO, April 10, 2020 – Chicago-based Steelcase dealer and women-owned business Forward Space, LLC has announced plans to develop their new Milwaukee location on the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee’s Harbor District.
Forward Space originally expanded to Milwaukee last August after the sudden closure of Forrer Business Interiors which displaced several Milwaukee workers. Since their entrance into Milwaukee, Forward Space has taken big steps to support Milwaukee Steelcase customers, as well as local employees and operations. Thus far, they have hired 20 Milwaukee-based employees, some of which were formerly employed at Forrer Business Interiors and now are announcing plans to renovate the former Paul Davis Restoration office building located at 2000 S. 4th Street, across the river from the new Michels headquarters and River 1 development.
“We are thrilled about new location in Milwaukee’s up and coming Harbor District,” said Jenny Niemann, principal owner and CEO of Forward Space. “After the transition and challenges our Milwaukee team experienced last year, I am excited for them to have a wonderful new workplace and a fresh start.”
“When we began touring real estate options last fall, this site very quickly stood out to us, it really checked all the boxes. From an on-site warehouse, easy freeway access, plenty of parking and proximity to downtown and the Third Ward, to the outdoor green space, boat slip and river views,” said Elizabeth Lewis, VP of Sales for the Milwaukee region. “The Harbor District is really ‘what’s next’ in Milwaukee and our team is excited to be part of the revitalization and development of this great area, as well as to putting down our roots here and starting our next chapter.”
Forward Space and the Druml Company are working with RINKA to renovate the building’s interior, intended to house a dual-purpose workspace and furniture showroom. In the works are the demolition of interior walls to create a grand view to the river from the entrance, as well as the incorporation of a centrally-located social kitchen, employee work café, mezzanine overlooking the main floor, glass garage doors to access adjacent outdoor work and event spaces, and patio on the river. The space will also feature a meditation/wellness room, flexible and mobile workstations and collaboration settings, customer oasis, meeting zone with glass-walled conference rooms and phone booths for teleconferencing, as well as individual rooms to feature education and healthcare furniture settings.
“Working with Forward Space has been a collaborative design process – we are very excited to see this former Harbor District office/warehouse building renovated into a bright and vibrant Forward Space showroom. Our goal was to design a unique showroom experience, rooted in the Forward Space identity with a timeless design aesthetic,” said Elliot Young, Senior Architect and Project Manager.
“Our new location will truly be a destination for our employees, clients, industry partners and the business community,” said Niemann. “We even have a boat in the plans, to host customer meetings on the water and for our employees to enjoy during the summer months.”
Forward Space previously opened a warehouse and small front office at 1966 S. 4th Street and a small showroom near the Fiserv Forum. Renovations are now in progress for the main office and showroom at 2000 S. 4th Street. All properties are owned by the Druml Company with leasing supported through Senior Associate Alyssa Geisler of CBRE. Renovations of 2000 S. 4th Street are being designed by RINKA.
About Forward Space
Forward Space, LLC is a women-owned business that helps clients propel their organizations forward, bringing to life the spaces and environments that are designed precisely for their purpose. We offer comprehensive service and support for workspace planning, procurement, delivery, installation, and on-going maintenance to support our clients’ goals and vision for tomorrow. With interior designs and products to meet any budget, our focus is on the greater Chicagoland and Milwaukee marketplaces; however, we also offer national service and support capabilities. We are a woman- owned business and proud to represent the Steelcase Inc. product lines. Forward Space has over 160 employees, 20 of which live and work in Milwaukee.
www.forwardspace.com
About Steelcase Inc.
For over 108 years, Steelcase Inc. has helped create great experiences for the world’s leading organizations, across industries. Steelcase demonstrates this through our family of brands – including Steelcase®, Coalesse®, Designtex®, PolyVision®, AMQ™ and Turnstone®. Together, they offer a comprehensive portfolio of architecture, furniture and technology products and services designed to unlock human promise and support social, economic and environmental sustainability. Steelcase is globally accessible through a network of channels, including over 800 Steelcase dealer locations. Steelcase is a industry-leading and publicly traded company with fiscal 2019 revenue of $3.4 billion.
www.steelcase.com
About CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2019 revenue). The company has more than 100,000 employees (excluding affiliates) and serves real estate investors and occupiers through more than 530 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.
