Challenge

1. Transform an early 1900s industrial warehouse in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point into a modern event venue capable of hosting weddings, corporate events, and galas.

2. Structural and environmental challenges included restoring a neglected heavy timber frame, dealing with aged masonry façades, and integrating modern building systems (MEP, fire protection, HVAC) without compromising historic character.
3. The design and construction team had to deliver a venue that aligned with Saz’s Hospitality Group’s reputation for quality food and service, while capturing the authenticity of Walker’s Point’s historic fabric.
4. Required creating a venue large enough for up to 350 seated guests or 450 standing while still feeling intimate and flexible for smaller gatherings.

Solution

1. Catalyst Construction managed the adaptive reuse, partnering with RINKA to preserve historic elements (cream city brick, exposed timber, industrial window patterns) while installing modern infrastructure.

2. Added a 7,200-sq-ft flexible event space with 24-ft ceilings, polished concrete floors, and mezzanine level to provide multiple gathering configurations.
3. Integrated state-of-the-art AV, lighting, catering support, and climate control systems while hiding them within the historic envelope to maintain authenticity.
4. Constructed a street-facing glass entry pavilion to balance old with new, providing visibility and a dramatic guest arrival experience.
5. Coordinated with city inspectors and preservation guidelines to meet modern code while retaining historic integrity.

Impact

• Delivered one of Milwaukee’s premier urban event venues, immediately embraced for weddings, nonprofit galas, and corporate events.

• Helped catalyze continued redevelopment in Walker’s Point, reinforcing the neighborhood as a destination for hospitality and culture.
• Gave Saz’s Hospitality Group a signature venue beyond catering, cementing its brand as a full-service hospitality leader.
• Provided Milwaukee with a flexible indoor venue capable of 350 seated / 450 standing guests, filling a gap in the local market for mid-size, urban event facilities.
• Project has been widely covered as a successful model of adaptive reuse that balances preservation and modernization.