FOX6 News takes tour of brand new Global Water Center

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- On Thursday, September 12th, FOX6 News got a tour of the brand new Global Water Center, the linchpin of the developing Global Water Technology Park in Milwaukee's Fifth Ward.

"The Global Water Center’s gonna be the first piece of the entire Reed Street Yards redevelopment. We now have a building that, very clearly, demonstrates to everybody that Milwaukee is a center for water technology," Rich Meeusen, the Co-Chair of the Milwaukee Water Council said.

Meeusen says the Global Water Center continues the Milwaukee Water Council's work in terms of local talent and economic development and global solution seeking.

"Most importantly, this building—our whole effort—is about developing the water technologies that can help solve the world’s water problems," Meeusen said.

The seven-story building is set to open with 25 different entities, including UW-Milwaukee's School of Freshwater Sciences already filling 79% of the space.

The space that remains inside the building is expected to fill up fast. 

"We have 100-year-old water technology companies. We have brand new start-ups  We have medium-sized companies. We have all the support organizations, all in one building," Meeusen said.

According to the President of the Milwaukee Water Council, this central location allows for collaboration.

"What we’re trying to do is create an ecosystem—where you have interaction between a vice-president of an international company, with an entrepreneur, with a graduate student—and they’re coming up with new ideas and new solutions," Dean Amhaus, President and CEO of the Milwaukee Water Council said.