Stuff Blown Up: 333 Water

Credit: W.E. O’Neil Construction

If you have headed to downtown Milwaukee or the lakefront recently you may have noticed a new building towering over the Historic Third Ward, just off the freeway and south of downtown. The $165 million, 31-story 333 Water luxury apartment tower was completed last year. A French restaurant will open this fall in the building’s ground floor along the Milwaukee River. The building has 333 apartments. Construction began in late 2022 and was completed in 2024. There are numerous workers and companies that worked to build 333 Water, and each offers their own unique career opportunities. Take a closer look at some of the jobs and companies that made the building a reality.

Contractors

Chicago-based W.E. O’Neil Construction was the general contractor for the 333 Water project. To complete a project, general contractors usually work with several subcontractors, each specializing in a specific area, giving them expertise to make sure the job is done right and on budget. Here are some of the companies that worked with W.E. O’Neil on the 333 Water project:

Michels Corp. | Brownsville: Deep foundations

Edgerton | Oak Creek: Excavation

VJS Construction Services | Pewaukee: Concrete

Langer Roofing & Sheet Metal | West Allis: Roofing

Wellenstein & Sons | Pewaukee: Carpentry

Reflection Window + Wall | Chicago: Window wall

The Levy Co. | Northbrook, Illinois: Drywall

Bourbon Tile & Marble | Buffalo Grove, Illinois: Ceramic tile

Quest Engineering | Richfield: Cabinetry

Midwest Iron | Milwaukee: Steel stairs

Worldwide Stone & Tile | Chicago: Countertops

Lippert Flooring & Tile | Menomonee Falls: Flooring

All-Tech Decorating | Romeoville, Illinois: Painting

Gurtz Electric Co. | Franksville: Electrical

J.M. Brennan Inc. | Milwaukee: HVAC / hydronic piping

Blair Fire Protection | Butler: Fire suppression systems

KMI Construction | New Berlin: Masonry

Wells | Albany, Minnesota: Waterproofing, coatings, air barrier