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Inside 'The Giannis Building' at 600 E. Wisconsin Ave.

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The side of a multi-story building features a mural of NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo with his back to the viewer and his name and number showing.
Bobby Tanzilo / OnMilwaukee

Every week on Urban Spelunking, Radio Milwaukee’s Nate Imig and OnMilwaukee’s Bobby Tanzilo dig into the buildings and architectural features that help retain the city’s sense of history while it builds for the future.

Inside, it's a vibrant coworking space and cafe, with a prominent brand agency occupying the upper floor. On the outside, Milwaukeeans will instantly recognize the mural of Giannis Antetokounmpo towering three stories above the sidewalk at 600 E. Wisconsin Avenue.

But its history goes back more than 100 years.

A vintage photo shows a seven-story building towering over the neighboring structures.
Milwaukee Public Library
A 1930s view of the site at 600 E. Wisconsin Ave.

"The 1913 structure, designed by Schnetzky & Son, has a long history and one that’s tied not only to two other buildings that were on the street, but also to a long-lived Milwaukee college," Bobby wrote for OnMilwaukee.

We go inside on this episode of Urban Spelunking to learn about its original construction and expansion, the Mauricio Ramirez mural and a bit about Nelson Schmidt Inc., the brand agency located inside.

A three-story brick building with awnings over the windows on the first floor.
Bobby Tanzilo / OnMilwaukee
An outside view of 600 E. Wisconsin Ave.

Director of Digital Content | Radio Milwaukee