Madison developer Otto Gebhardt III plans to build a housing development on land the University of Wisconsin identified as the site of a new academic building in its 20-year Master Plan.

When looking to sell the current properties located at 1208, 1212 and 1214 Spring St. the current owner of the property first approached UW asking them to buy the land immediately. When UW declined to buy, the owners approached Gebhardt.

Gebhardt said his first step was to talk to the university to see when they might want to buy the land, adding UW told him it would be at least 25 years.

Gebhardt’s plans for the land are still in the infant stages of development, but so far plans include a 10-story building used mainly for rental housing.

Located on the 1200 block of Spring Street, Gebhardt hopes to market the building mainly to UW students. He added the building’s proximity to campus, the new Union South and the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery will help with that.

Gebhardt said the plans have been well received in initial feedback, adding the houses currently on the property are small and people he has talked to seem to like the idea of a larger volume building.

“The people we have talked to in the neighborhood have been very, very positive,” Gebhardt said.

Gebhardt added his talks with UW seemed very positive, saying he thought they were supportive of his plans.

“We wouldn’t even have taken the early steps if the university weren’t supportive,” Gebhardt said.

UW Facilities and Planning Management Department member Pat Richards said department head Gary Brown is indifferent toward Gebhardt’s plans.

The initial plans were presented to Madison’s Urban Design Commission Jan. 6. Chairperson of the UDC Bruce Woods said UW’s plan for the land would not affect the city’s decision to allow Gebhardt to develop.

“That’s between the university and the developer, and the developer didn’t seem to think it was a problem,” Woods said.

Woods added UW might take longer than the 15 or 20 estimated years to buy the land.

As for the building itself, Woods said their initial presentation to the UDC was mostly well received.

“I think they can put together a very interesting building,” Woods said.

The largest issue the proposed plans faced was the height of the building. Buildings in the area are restricted to a height of eight stories or 116 feet, which contradicts with Gebhardt’s original 10-story plan.

Gebhardt said it would not be a challenge to incorporate feedback into the plans of the building because the plans are still in the very early stages of development.

Woods said he hopes the building will spur further development in the area.

“I drove by that neighborhood, and it needs help,” Woods said.

Gebhardt said if feedback continues to be positive he will hope to tear down the old buildings in August of 2010 and have the new building up by August 2011.