Peter Zanghi
Peter graduated from UW-Milwaukee in 2011 with a BBA in Finance and a Certificate in Real Estate and completed Marquette’s MBA program in 2016. He joined Irgens in November 2017 as an Asset Management Representative. He is also the president of Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, a nonprofit historic preservation organization. His favorite thing to do in his free time is go to concerts and he can’t wait to see Phish at Alpine Valley this summer.
6 Questions with Peter
Q: Which projects are you most excited about?
A: I’m excited for the opening of the BMO Tower and the redevelopment of 770 N. Water, the former M&I Bank headquarters. Both of those projects will add a significant amount of vibrancy right in the heart of downtown next to City Hall.
Outside of Irgens projects, I can’t wait for restoration of the Milwaukee Soldiers Home, located on the VA campus just west of Miller Park. The Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, a nonprofit historic preservation organization of which I currently serve as president, has advocated for the restoration of these historic structures for years and the project officially broke ground just last month. It will renovate six buildings into 101 units of housing for veterans and their families who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness. The largest building, Old Main, was built in 1869 and is one of the oldest buildings in the entire VA system. It will be very cool to see it put back into the service of veterans over 150 years after the building first opened.
I’m also very excited for the historic Warner Theater to reopen. It was the last and most ornate movie palace built in the city, and it’s going to be an incredible venue for the symphony and for concerts.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant?
A: Classic: Lake Park Bistro. New-ish: Diplomat on Brady Street.
Q: What made you choose Commercial Real Estate?
A: My initial draw was my love for architecture and the urban environment. I also love how buildings in many ways define a neighborhood or a city, and how real estate development can be used to make a positive impact on a community. The BMO and Warner projects mentioned above are perfect examples of that on a large scale, and the Sherman Phoenix and new Arts @ Large headquarters are excellent examples of that on a neighborhood scale.
Q: What is one word that comes to mind when you think of CARW?
A: Connected
Q: What was your biggest takeaway from the NextGen meetings?
A: I’ve really enjoyed learning from people who have been in the industry for a long time, whether it’s “do’s and don’ts,” history about the market, or their career paths. I’ve also developed a greater appreciation for how collaborative we are as a community. It’s something that makes Milwaukee unique and I hope we don’t lose that quality as we grow. We have a “rising tide lifts all boats” mindset here and I think that will be one of the key things that sets us apart as we continue in this renaissance we’re in the middle of.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone in the world, who would it be?
A: Trey Anastasio of Phish. Preferably at some deli in Manhattan in the middle of a New Year’s Eve run at Madison Square Garden.