A city committee decided Tuesday the 800 block of East Washington Avenue will gain an apartment building and a Metcalfe’s, a local Wisconsin grocer that currently has three locations in the state. 

The committee chose Metcalfe’s because it said to be the best fit for the neighborhood. But if Metcalfe’s plans fall through, the committee decided the second-best plan for a Madison Fresh Market will be allowed to move into the spot.

Members of the East Washington Avenue 800 Block North Committee praised Metcalfe’s plans but raised some concerns over the grocery chain’s treatment of the union that represents the grocery store workers. 

The project will include the 50,000-square-foot grocery store, according to Metcalfe’s development proposal. The project will also include offices, retail stores, a restaurant and apartments, according to the proposal. 

The proposal said the project will create affordable housing by making 20 percent of the apartments meet the price range of potential residents who earn 60 percent of the Dane County median income.
The project includes space for bike parking and a parking garage, according to the proposal. 

Mark Sweet, a labor attorney, said Metcalfe’s recently said they support the union in all three of their stores and had successfully negotiated with each union. 

He said he is concerned because Metcalfe’s released a statement to its workers claiming they did not need to be represented by a union and should vote no in a June 1, 2012, vote for a union. 

“I believe the community of Madison should think about Metcalfe’s history with unions and how it has changed over the past week,” Sweet said. 

He also said Metcalfe’s has illegally taken workers’ health care premiums and wants workers to increase their insurance premiums. This will take money out of the city and away from workers, he added. 

Ald. Marsha Rummel, District 6, said she was disappointed to see Metcalfe’s directly agitating a union. She encouraged Metcalfe’s to take a position of neutrality around the unions. 

Committee member Joseph Lusson said he was upset about the labor disputes and would like to see a larger rooftop farm on the building. He said he hopes the labor dispute can be solved internally in the company. 

Lusson said he supports increasing the amount of available housing in the project. 

“We want to embrace creating a benefit for the workers and society at large,” she said.

Committee member Thomas Landgraf said he strongly supports including affordable housing in the project. He said he would like to increase the housing that is set aside for potential residents that make a fraction of the median county income. 

Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2, said the project is successful because it is what the constituents want, and the city was successfully able to decide what they wanted from the project so it can be built. 

She said she is excited to see the project move forward and wants to see the neighborhood thrive. 

Ald. Mark Clear, District 19, said he was also excited about the project.

“It’s been a true community effort, and that makes it even better,” he said.