In considering further development for Madison residents, the Legislative Affairs Committee heard student questions and feedback Tuesday night about the potential renovation of Mifflin Street.
The Legislative Affairs Committee presented two plans to a crowd of more than 25 students last night. The options include Plan A, which emphasizes the renovation of current buildings and allows the construction of similar new structures, and Plan B, which includes heavier development and renovations.
Plan A seeks to redevelop two blocks from Bedford Street to Broom Street on Mifflin and university property in the area beside the Kohl Center as well as West Johnson Street. Dayton Street and West Washington Street would both be left untouched.
If the plan was enacted, houses with interior problems and exterior blemishes would be renovated or reconstructed.
Additionally, the committee said if students seek to give Mifflin a historical designation, they can do so by creating a board that will oversee future construction of the sites. However, LAC Chair Adam Johnson said creating another board means developers could still develop Mifflin, but they would have to go through this additional board for approval.
The basis of Plan B is to “allow Mifflin neighborhood to transition over time into a more urban area by permitting construction of larger residential apartments and mixed-use development,” according to the LAC proposal.
It would provide more housing opportunities as well as increase the population density on the Mifflin area, but through a case-by-case basis of individual houses.
“Developers [would] buy a few houses here and there, and there’ll be a new complex going up,” said Josh Molter, a UW senior and committee member who attended the meeting.
Overall, Plan A was the favored plan in attendance by an initial vote at the end of the meeting, which had three students voting for Plan B and the rest for Plan A.
“The city’s plan is recognizing the historical value of the district,” Molter said.
UW senior Colin Klemz is a Mifflin apartment resident also voted for Plan A.
“If you want to live on all an urban area like Bassett, then live on Bassett. Not on Mifflin,” Klemz said, adding a larger student voice is still needed.
UW freshman Alexandra Perraud, who attended the meeting because she works near Mifflin, was also concerned about the student vote.
“Being an undergrad, nobody I know knows all that’s going on. Nobody reads all the flyers or picks up a paper or reads the chalk all of the time. If a decision is made without the students, it would be tragic,” Perraud said.
Aware of this concern, Johnson took the initiative to call for student representation by sending an e-mail to every University of Wisconsin student inviting them to the hearing earlier Tuesday. He added Madison alders, especially Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, and Ald. Bryan Eagon, District 8, were very excited about the students’ reaction to the proposals.
Students interested in participating and finding out more about the Mifflin renovations can attend a meeting next Tuesday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union.
