Los Angeles-based Stonewater Partners has acquired three historic buildings in downtown Milwaukee. The acquired buildings are: the 132-year-old Mackie Building, 225 E. Michigan Ave.; the 127-year-old Mitchell Building, 207 E. Michigan St.; and the 111-year-old Loyalty Building, 611 N. Broadway.

The purchase prices were not disclosed. The buildings have an assessed value of more than $7.3 million, according to city records. For years, the buildings were owned by the Ashley Family.

"We are very excited to have been selected to continue the Ashley Family's stewardship of these amazing buildings," said Stonewater Partners principal David Stade. "We feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to carry that torch."

The six-story, 79,609-square-foot Loyalty Building was assessed at $3.4 million, according to city records. It was built as the third corporate headquarters for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. The building's interior features a large open staircase with marble steps, ornamental cast-iron railings ad copper trimmed newel posts in a four-story atrium.

"It's truly a one-of-a-kind building," said Joshua Jeffers, vice president of acquisitions for Stonewater Partners.

The five-story, 42,600-square-foot Mitchell Building was assessed at more than $1.8 million, according to city records.

The five-story, 45,975-square-foot Mackie Building is located directly east of the Mitchell Building and was assessed at more than $2.1 million, according to city records. It was built to accommodate the Grain Exchange (a commodity trading room) and the local chamber of commerce. The building's facade features sculptures of a bear and bull and other trade-related imagery.

The Ashley Family restored the Grain Exchange room in the early 1980s. "It is one of the outstanding mural-ornamented Victorian commercial interiors in America," Stonewater Partners said in a news release.

The three buildings are primarily used by office tenants and are about 92 percent occupied, Stade said. The investors plan to make some improvements to the buildings, Stade said. Preserving the historic integrity of the buildings will be their top priority, he said.

"They've been maintained pretty nicely," he said. "They just need a little tweaking, from our standpoint."

Stade is from Stevens Point and Jeffers is from Waukesha. They are excited about owning such significant buildings in their home state, Stade said. "We are investors, but we are also pretty amazed and excited to own buildings that have this much historic integrity," he said.

"This transaction represents Stonewater's commitment to acquire value-add, historically and architecturally significant properties across the country," said Stonewater principal Jeffrey Toporek.

Miller Brewing Co. issued an official response today to allegations that it is supporting illegal immigration.

The Chicago Tribune recently reported that Miller Brewing provided $30,000 to the March 10 Committee, a Chicago group that organized marches to support the legalization of illegal immigrants.

Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing issued the following statement on its Web site (www.millerbrewing.com) today:  "Miller Brewing Company has never supported illegal immigration and we have always supported the full enforcement of current U.S. laws. Miller did not sponsor the Labor Day immigration march held in Chicago. Going forward, Miller will closely review all requests for support from community and charitable organizations to ensure that we are not indirectly funding or associating our name with advocacy efforts on the immigration issue. We plan to stick to the business of brewing, marketing and selling great beer."

In advance of the primary election on Tuesday, Sept. 12, WisPolitics.com has compiled an in-depth resource for Wisconsin's voters.

Summaries of the key statewide and local races are posted at http://wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=70971. At the page, voters can find pertinent links for each of the statewide races, including the races for attorney general and secretary of state, as well as several key local races for the state legislature, the Milwaukee County sheriff and the Milwaukee County district attorney.

The page features electronic links for news stories, campaign finance reports, political advertisements, audio feeds of debates and other information about the candidates and the issues.

WisPolitics.com is a media partner of Small Business Times.
 

Lela, a woman's fashion boutique in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, will celebrate its third anniversary with a unique outdoor fashion show on Saturday, Sept. 9.

The show will feature new collections from local designers Shanel Regier and Laddhavan Sutana and nationally recognized collections from Tibi and Doris Ruth.

The intersection of Broadway Street between Buffalo Street and St. Paul Avenue will be transformed with a tented runway next to the historic awnings of Commission Row. The 60-foot runway will mimic the set-up in New York City's Bryant Park, the host for Olympus Fashion Week September 8–15. Karl's Party Rentals of Oak Creek used photos from Lela's 2005 show to win the contract to produce Olympus Fashion Week.

Regier, recently honored by Gen Art as a "Fresh Face in Fashion," will debut a new collection that will include bold prints and Victorian inspiration. In total, more than 20 couture ensembles will be seen for the first time.

The event, which will include refreshments and music, will take place from 7 to 11 p.m.

Small Business Times continues to accept nominations for the 2006 Health Care Heroes Awards. The awards honor organizations and individuals who epitomize the spirit embodied in the word "hero," whether they are doctors, nurses, physical therapists, nursing assistants, employee benefit managers, community outreach programs or others who are making a difference on the front lines of health care.

The goals of the program are to recognize excellence, promote innovation, encourage emulation of successful programs, educate the general public and enhance the quality of health care in southeastern Wisconsin.

The categories for the Health Care Heroes Awards are:
- Corporate Achievement in Health Care: Will honor a company that has successfully implemented an innovative health benefits plan or creatively solved a problem in health care administration or delivery.
- Advancements in Health Care: Will honor a company or an individual responsible for a scientific discovery or the development of a new medical procedure, device or service that can save lives or improve the quality of life.
- Community Service: Will honor an individual or an organization for leadership in addressing a health care issue.
- Physician: Will honor a physician whose performance on the job is considered exemplary by patients and peers.
- Nurse: Will honor a person from the nursing field who is considered exemplary by patients, peers and physicians.
- Health Care Staff: Will honor a professional such as therapist, a support staff member, a certified nursing assistant, an activity assistant, a caregiver or someone else who is committed to providing comfort and care.
- Volunteer: Will honor a person for exceptional volunteer service to the community.

Last year's "Ultimate Health Care Hero Award" went to the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin medical team that saved the life of rabies victim Jeanna Giese. In the first year of the program, that award went emergency medical technician Chris Cook, who was wounded while serving in Iraq.

Renominations of candidates who did not win awards last year are encouraged.

This year's winners will be profiled in a special supplement of Small Business Times. They will receive their awards at a breakfast hosted by SBT on Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Wyndham Milwaukee Center Hotel in downtown Milwaukee.

For additional information about the Health Care Heroes Awards program and for nomination forms, see the print edition of SBT, visit www.biztimes.com or call Sarah Wilson at (414) 277-8181, ext. 129. Nominations must be received by Sept. 29.

The BizTimes Stock Index dipped 2.65 points to close at 158.58 Wednesday, and local stocks continued to slide in early morning trading today. The largest local decliners this morning were Badger Meter Inc. (down $1.44 to $23.03) and Bucyrus International Inc. (down $1.12 to $48.80). The largest local advancers this morning were Rockwell Automation Inc. (up $1.09 to $56.99) and Kohl's Corp. (up 86 cents to $64.43). The BizTimes Stock Index was created by Small Business Times and is monitored by North Shore Bank. The index, which measures the stock values of publicly held companies based in southeastern Wisconsin, is updated daily and can be viewed at www.biztimes.com.