Baird to become anchor tenant for new building

TBL has learned that Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co. has signed a lease to relocate its longtime downtown Eau Claire office to a new complex being constructed along Oakwood Hills Parkway in Eau Claire.

"It will tough moving out of downtown, but it became a client parking issue," said Baird Managing Director and Branch Manager Ron Farley, who added, "We will probably move into the new office sometime in December. There will be space for other tenants as well, but we also may eventually be able to expand".

Baird will initially occupy 3,500 square feet in one of two buildings that are being developed by Commonweal Development. One facility will be 6,650 square feet and the other will be a 7,500-square-foot complex. The buildings will be constructed near the Girl Scouts of the North West Great Lakes facility.

The Eau Claire Baird office, which has eight employees, specializes in investment and financial tools for individual, institutional, corporate and municipal clients. The firm is an employee-owned wealth management, capital markets, asset management and private equity company.

Baird, which has more than 100 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia, has been recognized as one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For since 2004.

Stuart Schaefer of Commonweal Development on behalf of Keystone Corp. TBL