Google among companies to move into East Washington development

Excerpted from Wisconsin State Journal
By Andrea Anderson

The Constellation, the new upscale high-rise apartment complex on the Near East Side, opened its doors to residents at the beginning of the month and is dividing its commercial space to accommodate several companies, including Google.

Google, which will be moving its Madison office from its current Blount Street location, has signed a 7-year lease for a 9,000-square-foot space occupying most of the second floor of the development, at 754 E. Washington Ave., according to Otto Gebhardt, owner of Gebhardt Development.

The company, which plans to expand in Madison, expects to be moved into the 12-story building by the end of this year, Google spokeswoman Katelin Jabbari said. Jabbari did not have an exact number of employees the company could have working in the new office but said Google wanted to stay in close proximity to the wide talent pool from UW-Madison. The company currently has more than 30 employees in Madison.

“I think it’s a great fit,” Gebhardt said. “They are a great, innovative company with a lot of sharp people working for them.”

The $39 million building includes 32,500 square feet of commercial space and 220 apartments. Other commercial tenants include Star Bar, a high-end cocktail and craft beer bar, and Cargo Coffee, a coffee and sandwich shop. The two local companies will be occupying part of the retail space on the first floor.

“These are not the typical chain stores you can see in any complex,” Gebhardt said. “We wanted more local establishments.”

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