A Madison developer recently proposed a 12-story housing development on East Washington Avenue, a project that could generate controversy because it exceeds the city’s maximum height limit for the area.
The building would be constructed by Gebhardt Development and would be a $31.5 million combination of apartments, townhomes, commercial space and indoor parking, Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2, who represents the area, said.
“Residents are tired of the empty car lots, the one story buildings and vacated industrial spaces,” Maniaci said. “The reaction to this has been very enthusiastic.”
While residents in the area are generally in favor of construction, a logistical issue with its height remains. A neighborhood development plan was approved five years ago that limited the height of buildings in the area to ten stories, Ald. Marsha Rummel, District 6, said.
Maniaci doesn’t believe the additional two stories will pose much of an issue when the initiative is up for approval.
“The market is in such a state that it’s just not possible for developers to do a 10-story building,” she said. “The zoning here is interesting, because while on the side of the street that this development may be built the cut-off is 10 stories, on the other side it’s 14.”
Maniaci has submitted a change to the plan to have the 12-story building approved by the Urban Design and Plan Commissions. To streamline the matter, Maniaci said she would like to see members review the change in the plan at the same time they evaluate the validity of the proposal.
If the two commissions judge favorably, the proposal will be put forth in front of the City Council. Gebhardt hopes to break ground on the building by April, she said.
The residents who gathered at a neighborhood meeting Thursday spoke in support of the extra height, and also questioned what building materials would be used on the site and what degree of “bicycle friendliness” could be expected.
According to Maniaci, aside from the issue of height, the proposal “meets 98 percent of the requirements laid out by the plan.”
She added that the project would benefit the community as a whole.
“[The building] is incredibly important because it will be the catalyst for the entire East Wash development process,” she said. “A building like this will increase tax value and bring in new residents and businesses to an area that really hasn’t seen much recent activity. It will really set the stage for the next decade in the neighborhood.”
Rummel seconded that sentiment.
“It’ll bring housing [for] new residents, young professionals,” she said. “Various young people who aren’t ready to own anything and are looking to live in a good, fun neighborhood.”
Rummel added she believes the new building could serve as a “landmark” for the neighborhood. However, she sees the potential for conflict over the additional two stories.
“We adopted a plan that says ’10 stories,’ so I could imagine there will be people opposed to this,” she said. “… (But) in the big picture, you’re allowed to build taller across the street. It’s a great location and I don’t think two stories will be such a big issue in the end.”
