The Couture

Project Strategy

The Couture, a stunning 44-story tower completed in 2024, is a landmark in Milwaukee’s skyline and Wisconsin’s tallest private building. Located at 909 East Michigan Street, it connects the lakefront to the city center, reimagining urban life with sustainability, style, and connectivity. Barrett Lo Visionary Development created this innovative concept integrating public transportation with a multi-modal transit hub that links The Hop Streetcar and Milwaukee County’s bus rapid transit line. The building also features parks, public plazas, and walking bridges, fostering community involvement.

The Couture’s design includes a resort-style pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, private grounds, and 24/7 maid service. Its smooth round shape and glass curtain walls offer stunning views of Lake Michigan, the Milwaukee River, and the city.

The flooring solutions addressed key needs for sound suppression, durability, and sustainability. Taylor Resolute adhesive achieved superior sound ratings, essential for high-end multi-story living. Milliken’s versatile products provided tailored solutions of flooring thickness while ensuring design consistency throughout the building. Mapei’s RENEWIT efficiently refinished damaged floors, maintaining the timeline and premium quality for tenant move-ins.

The project’s uniqueness lies in its blend of luxury and inclusiveness, with one affordable housing suite on each floor up to the 30th. The 322 apartments and 50,000 square feet of restaurants and retail space make it a dynamic urban hub. The development’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its eco-conscious flooring installation, with all carpet scraps recycled through Sergenian’s industry-leading reclamation program.

The Couture’s environmental focus includes a transit hub promoting eco-friendly transportation. This design balances economic growth, community needs, and environmental care, setting a new standard for urban development. Coverage from local and regional media, including Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and WISN 12 News, highlights its impact.

Unique Installation Challenge Strategy

Our flooring solutions for The Couture not only met but also exceeded the client's expectations, thereby elevating the project to an award-worthy standard. The project originally was priced out and budgeted in 2016 . Challenges with the project delayed and forced changes over the next eight years. These challenges included 3 complete materials VE exercises while keeping the overall design integrity and quality. The project encountered several items that required special answers to nontraditional challenges. These challenges included; raising the sound rating of the selected flooring , having resilient (LVT) flooring that has different thicknesses available for a variety concerns, and addressing newly installed flooring that had been damaged by other trades.

By implementing Taylor Resolute adhesive, we resolved a critical sound rating challenge, providing the superior sound suppression needed to ensure tranquility and privacy in Wisconsin’s tallest residential skyscraper. This innovative adjustment created an environment where luxury and comfort could thrive, setting a new standard for urban living.

Milliken’s versatile product line, offering three thickness options in one style, allowed us to tailor resilient flooring solutions seamlessly across the building. This ensured every space—from grand public areas to private residences—achieved the perfect balance of form and function, enhancing the overall aesthetic without compromising practicality.

Facing the inevitable challenges of a multi-year project, we demonstrated our commitment to excellence by utilizing Mapei’s RENEWIT to restore LVP floors damaged by other trades. These refinishing efforts, completed mere days before tenants moved in, exemplified our dedication to delivering flawless results under tight timelines. This attention to detail transformed flooring into a vital element of the building’s story—one that harmonizes innovation, resilience, and unparalleled craftsmanship.