After a lengthy debate that stretched into the early morning hours today, the Madison City Council approved the construction of a high-rise apartment building at University Avenue and Brooks Street.
A total of 36 speakers gathered to voice their concerns on the proposal in public forum. The group was composed of rectors, preachers, church members and many others representing the interests of two different campus ministries – St. Francis Episcopal Student Center, which supports the building, and Luther Memorial Church, which opposes it.
Architect Randy Bruce said the new on-campus building, which would be a part of the redevelopment of the Episcopal Student Center, would form a “beautiful backdrop to the historical buildings in the area.”
Other proponents for the high-rise talked about the additional tax revenues the new building would generate. They also believed it would decrease vehicular traffic due to its proximity to campus.
Many also felt the new building would rehabilitate the ministry of St. Francis House and add a new dynamic to the church.
Those who opposed the high-rise spoke about the fact that Luther Memorial has been officially designated as a landmark. Landscape architect Gary Brown said ice-damming due to lessened sunlight may cause serious damage to the church.
Other opponents to the plan argued the new apartment would cause noise problems for the neighborhood. Many also expressed their concern that the residents in the new building may increase vandalism in the area, as had allegedly happened with Grand Central Apartments – also owned by the same developer, LZ Ventures.
Doug Swiggum, a chair of Luther Memorial Facilities Committee, brought in pieces of glass from bottles that had been thrown out of Grand Central windows at the church.
Both groups emphasized the factthey hoped to maintain neighborly relations in either case.
Some members of the Council addressed the concerns of opponents before taking a final vote. In regard to the ice dams, Ald. Chris Schmidt, District 11, said the shadows cast by the new building would not prevent the melting of ice on Luther Memorial. He gave his final approval for the plan, noting he found the project “compatible with the nature of an area.”
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, addressed the issue of possible vandalism to Luther Memorial by arguing it would be very difficult to throw bottles through a stained glass window.
Resnick also mentioned many of the problems presented by the opponents had more to do with the location of the proposed building more than any other factor.
“This is still an urban location. A lot of these problems we’ve talked about really don’t have a lot to do with Grand Central Apartments,” he said. “[They happen] every day because this is at the heart of campus.”
Ald. Marsha Rommel, District 6, also disapproved of the plan. She agreed there should be a balance between preservation and development, but she ultimately believed preservation was more important in this case.
“We’re really going to lose something here,” she said.
