JP CULLENS & SONS 9/18/07 1:53 PM Page 22

J.P. CULLEN & SONS

Renovating Milwaukee’s city hall was a “phenomenal

opportunity for us to showcase our true talents,” says
Gino Carini, vice president of of business development.

Restoring a City’s Heart

Wisconsin’s J.P. Cullen & Sons rises to the challenge of restoring Milwaukee’s historic, 111-year old city
hall by deploying a talented and diverse work force on the project. The renovation will complete in 2008.
By Brooke Knudson “Laverne & Shirley”) and one that many feel serves as the

E very so often, a city’s focus shifts toward the historic

icon that represents the laurels that it was founded
on. In Milwaukee – a city known just as well for its
culturally diverse climate as it is for breweries and
bratwurst – the renovation of the 111-year-old city hall is
cause enough for this focal shift.
Years of harsh Wisconsin winters and seasonal climate
changes have taken their toll on the building’s architec-
turally detailed exterior, increasing the need for a facelift to
the façade. Although many contractors demonstrated inter-
est in the project, only one, Janesville, Wis.-based J.P. Cullen
& Sons, emerged as the general contrac-
J.P. Cullen & Sons
www.jpcullen.com tor. “It’s a field of our expertise, it’s a Mil-
Proj. 2007 rev.: $200 million+ waukee and national landmark and it’s a
Headquarters: Janesville, Wis. phenomenal opportunity for us to show-
Employees: 650 companywide
Services: General contracting case our true talents,” says Gino Carini,
and construction management vice president of business development.
Gino Carini, VP of business The eight-story building is one of the
development: “It’s a very family
oriented business that is in the many recognizable structures in
relationship business first.” Milwaukee (think opening credits for
political and national symbol for the region. “City Hall is
probably the best known and most beloved of our historic
buildings,” said Mayor Tom Barrett in a statement. “[It]
remains the center of Milwaukee’s government today and
continues as the visual symbol of the many important
roles that Milwaukee played in American history.”
Strong Background
J.P. Cullen is a family owned company operating under its
fourth-generation of leadership out of two offices in Mil-
waukee and Janesville, as well as several satellite offices.
The company’s expertise includes primary and second-
ary education, healthcare, government, industrial and retail
segments. A general contractor serving southern
Wisconsin within a 100-mile radius of the state’s capital
city of Madison, J.P. Cullen has been the local contractor
chosen to work on other notable, long-term projects such
as Milwaukee’s Miller Park, the restoration of the State
Capitol and Meriter Hospital’s tower expansion project in
Madison. Throughout its existence, the firm has been one

22 ■ CONSTRUCTION TODAY ■ OCTOBER 2007