Parking and affordable rent were primary concerns discussed Wednesday night by downtown residents in regard to two proposed student apartment buildings that may be added to the intersection of West Gorham Street and University Avenue as early as August 2004.

The Aberdeen and Promenade Place proposals evoked criticism from downtown residents who said developers are not considering the student demand for parking or rental prices that are realistically affordable to students.

The Aberdeen’s developers, the Dishaw family, currently have 25 parking stalls planned for the 221 bedroom, 12 story building. They say they hope the city will allow them to double the available spots before construction begins in August 2003.

“It’s less than we’d like,” said Wayne Dishaw, who currently owns the property located at 437 W. Gorham St.
If constructed, the city of Madison would require the Aberdeen to create a two-way service drive that would connect West Johnson and West Gorham and include parking to prevent “traffic nightmares” brought on by higher population density.
Dishaw said he estimated rental costs would not exceed $600 a month per resident.
The building includes two, three and four bedroom apartments and features “very second-empire architecture” including a brick façade and a copper bell cast roof.

“It will be affordable,” Dishaw said. “It will be an attractive place to live. That’s important to me because I’m the one who’s renting them.”

Dishaw said his family chose to develop their four-bedroom property because of a $400,000 property tax increase caused by new developments like The Palisades and The Embassy. He said they were forced to develop their property or sell it.

Promenade Place is a six-story building that would include 199 bedrooms in 81 units, but would only offer 35 parking stalls.

Developer Carl Madsen said that because of the building’s proximity to State Street and campus, there would not be a demand by its residents for parking cars but rather for bike and moped parking. Madsen also said that creating more spots would invite more unwanted congestion.

Promenade Place would be a U-shaped building with a secluded courtyard and four two-bedroom apartments with terraces over West Gorham. All but four apartments would have porch access.

Madsen said he estimated the average rent would be $575 a month per resident.
Ald. Mike Verveer, Dist. 4, said that parking is a huge concern when building downtown and, since the two parking proposals are aimed at renting to undergraduate students, the city finds them acceptable.

“The concerns raised are absolutely no surprise to me,” Verveer said.

Unlike The Palisades or The Embassy, which were able to build two-story underground parking structures with currently available spots, Verveer said this scenario is not economically feasible for these proposals.

Verveer also said that there is a greater need for bicycle and moped parking and that by accommodating that demand, there would be less need for car parking.
Verveer also said that the increased construction of high-rise student apartments creates a “renter’s market,” which benefits students because new competition stabilizes rents instead of increasing them.

“I am very much in support of both projects. I do feel that new student housing options are an awesome thing,” Verveer said.