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Bassett area looks at new 4-story complex

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JAKE NAUGHTON/Herald photo

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Members of the Bassett Street neighborhood met Thursday night to hear a presentation for a new four-floor apartment building to be built at the end of South Bassett Street.

The project would entail the demolition of two properties at 451 W. Wilson St. and 315 S. Bassett St.

Lance McGrath spoke on behalf of McGrath Associates, a real estate company proposing the project.

"Everything is still preliminary," McGrath said. "Nothing is cast in stone at this point."

McGrath presented the plan for a four-story apartment building on top of two levels of parking that would be partially underground due to an elevation change in the landscape. The building would include 41 units, with 48 parking stalls, tenant storage and bicycle parking.

Developers said efforts would be made to make it a green apartment building with efficient energy and water.

McGrath said the target market for the new apartments would consist of young urban professionals, empty nesters and the downtown workforce.

"We're not expecting a lot of students," McGrath said.

This marketing objective was praised by fellow real estate developer Robert Keller, who said "this is the kind of thing that is really needed in the downtown area."

Architect Jim Moran said the plan is designed to "pursue the precedent of light industrial architecture in the area."

While many residents tried to voice their concerns, one area resident, Jan Sweet, was particularly vocal.

One of Sweet's complaints was the building materials and overall look of the proposed building.

"We want the brickwork that's in the Dowling building to be replicated precisely in this building," Sweet said. "I don't want cheap plaster and corrugated metal roofing in this neighborhood."

When Moran classified Sweet's distaste for the architectural aesthetic as "one man's opinion," Sweet responded by citing a previous project that blocked the view of the Capitol.

"You think that you are better than the state Capitol of Wisconsin," he said.

Further interruptions and interjections resulted in Jonathan Cooper, who had been facilitating the meeting, asking the rest of the audience if Sweet should be asked to leave. The audience responded overwhelmingly by groaning, "leave."

After Sweet made his exit, the meeting continued in a more orderly fashion. Residents seemed to be most concerned about parking, which has been a problem recently.

"What we will do at this point is put together a steering committee," Cooper said, adding this committee will work more intensely with McGrath and the architects to work on issues such as parking.

Meetings with various councils and committees are to be held in the upcoming months and, pending city approval, McGrath hopes to begin construction June 2008.