Representatives advocating building a pricey student housing high-rise complex on University Avenue asked for student government officials’ input on the project’s preliminary plans at a meeting Monday evening.

The project’s consultant, Bill White, met with the Associated Students of Madison’s Legislative Affairs Committee in place of presenting their plans to a neighborhood association, because White said the area for the proposal – 1001 University Avenue – is generally unrepresented.

“We’re in the midst of trying to work with constituent groups, because the area is not part of the city’s Comprehensive Plan or the University’s Master Plan – it’s basically an area without a plan,” White said. “Still, in the city’s zoning code, it calls for the most intense residential development allowed for the area.”

White said the group plans to build a 12-story apartment building at the corner of Brooks Street and University Avenue at the current St. Francis ministry site. The current structure is composed of a historical house from the early 1900s, which would be preserved and relocated, and a 1965 addition that would be demolished.

White said the project would be overseen by the same development group that orchestrated the construction of the Grand Central apartment complex, which sits on the same block. He said the proposed building would have similar characteristics.

The project’s proposer, Randy Bruce of Knothe and Bruce Architects, said the new development would be similar to Grand Central in its pricing, units and target market.

“The building would be housing targeted toward students, and we heard students voted Grand Central the best choice to live on-campus, so we would be targeting a similar audience,” Bruce said. “Similar to the Grand Central, we’re trying to make it more contemporary.”

Bruce said the building would feature a total of 255 bedrooms planned into 90 apartments that range from efficiencies to five-bedroom units. He said pricing would be similar to the higher-end lease prices at Grand Central.

Students serving on Legislative Affairs raised questions about religious affiliation with the building, given its generally religiously focused location, and also asked the project’s proposers what their plans are for creating an environmentally friendly structure that would not interfere with the surrounding buildings.

Although Bruce said contributing to the environment is important to the group, he said the group’s choice for how to address the issue is still unclear. He said they are considering adding a green roof on the stepped back floors similar to the rooftop terrace on the inside of the Lucky apartment building.
He also said the housing would not be religiously affiliated, but said St. Francis could still potentially own some of the corner land that would be grouped with the other religious buildings in the area.

Neighboring Luther Memorial officials have voiced concerns about the visual impacts such a tall building could have on the church. Bruce said the group is working with the concerns to make sure enough light reaches the building’s stained glass windows and maintains its visibility on University Avenue.

White said the group hopes to submit its rezoning application to the city either by the end of this week or in the very near future. The plan would then begin to move through the city process.