The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) has reached an agreement to move its offices to The Avenue, and is set to begin occupancy of a space in the newly renovated Milwaukee landmark later this year.

MMAC has been headquartered in its current location, 756 N. Milwaukee St., for 40 years. The move to the former Grand Avenue Mall is targeted for late summer or early fall, with exact timing to be determined. Once the move is complete, it will be the first time in its 159-year history that the organization will be headquartered west of the Milwaukee River.

With this decision, MMAC becomes an anchor tenant of an area that is undergoing a significant renaissance. In addition to The Avenue – a reimagining of the former mall that will include modern meeting and presentation rooms, community gathering spaces and a food hall – this stretch of Wisconsin Avenue also includes the upcoming new home of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the planned expansion of the Wisconsin Center and several other developments.

"The Milwaukee Region has been experiencing unprecedented growth over the past decade, and MMAC is excited to relocate its headquarters to an area where much of that energy is focused. This move allows us to use space more efficiently and take advantage of The Avenue’s impressive offering of amenities," MMAC President Tim Sheehy said.

"While the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our economy significantly, it has not shaken our long-term belief in the future of Milwaukee. The relaunch of innovative developments such as The Avenue will help lead the way to our region’s recovery. Now we’ll be a part of this success story."

MMAC looked at several spaces before making a final decision. The move will include MMAC affiliate organizations such as the Milwaukee 7 Economic Development Partnership, Milwaukee Development Corporation, the Food and Beverage cluster (FaB), FUEL Milwaukee and the MMAC’s World Trade Association. It also will house partnering entities such as The Business Council, Hispanic Collaborative, and African American Leadership Alliance Milwaukee. Milwaukee Development Corporation helped provide some of the funding for The Avenue project.