Milwaukee Tool Plans Downtown Milwaukee Expansion; Up to 2,000 Jobs

The City of Milwaukee Redevelopment Authority issued a public notice March 31 that detailed plans by Milwaukee Tool to expand its downtown operations in a project that could add up to 2,000 employees.

The notice says the MRA will hold a meeting April 15 to consider creating a Tax Incremental Financing District to assist Milwaukee Tool in redeveloping a building at 501 West Michigan Street. District funding would provide an initial $12.1 million to the company for locating at least 1,210 employees at the facility, and a subsequent grant of up to $7.9 million may be provided for adding another 790 employees.

A timeline for the proposed expansion was not given.

In late 2019, Milwaukee Tool announced a $100+ million expansion between the Milwaukee and Madison areas, with more than $100 million going to a new campus in Milwaukee suburb Menomonee Falls, and $7.5 million to expand its Imperial Blades production facilities in Madison suburb Sun Prairie. Combined, those projects are expected to create 870 jobs by 2025. 

Milwaukee Tool is headquartered in Brookfield, WI — about 12 miles northwest of the proposed downtown Milwaukee expansion site.