City and campus leaders explored outstanding issues regarding the construction of a 14-unit student apartment building on the University of Wisconsin campus at a meeting Tuesday night.
The Joint Southeast Campus Area Committee dealt with two main items Monday surrounding various constructions connected to campus streets and buildings.
The committee heard a presentation for a new private student housing apartment designed by architects Joe Reed and Joe McCormick.
McCormick is the owner of the current property, residing where the proposed apartment building would be. McCormick’s property is almost directly across from the Educational Sciences Building on West Johnson Street.
McCormick presented a design for a five story, 14-unit apartment structure on the grounds between 202 and 206 N. Brooks St., which would provide additional living space for approximately 43 or more students.
The primary reason for proposing a new apartment structure is because of the state of the current property that lies on McCormick’s land, he said. Currently, the three living flats on his plot are approaching 100-years-old, housing about 16-18 students.
“My current [property] is in seriously bad shape, and I knew that it needed to be redeveloped”, McCormick said at the beginning of his presentation.
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, also said the state of the current property could only be described as “dilapidated.”
“This project is right in line with other up-and-coming modern high-rise structures,” Resnick said. “This is not a run-of-the-mill-type structure.”
Still, some members of the Madison community expressed uncertainty about the proposal.
UW Transportation Planner Rob Kennedy raised the argument that the university wanted to use this space for academic research. Kennedy also brought up the university’s plan to use the plot of land as a “green space.”
“If the university cannot afford to buy this land at the time, and it’s just sitting there rotting … it seems that the best option would be a new apartment,” Laura Gutknecht, the committee’s co-chair, said.
No final decision was reached on the issue.
The committee also took up potential renovations around the south campus and Kohl Center area. Kennedy recounted up and coming construction for the 2011-2012 school year along with the 2012-2013 term.
Kennedy commented on the completion of the new Gordon Commons, which officials plan to open in June. The university will demolish the building later this year. Kennedy also detailed a new hockey facility that would be added to the Southeast Recreational Facility, able to hold about 6,000 fans.
Kennedy also brought the committee up to speed on the upcoming construction for the Memorial Union Park Project set to go underway in August. This project will be a part of the Lakeshore Path restoration, which will alter the shoreline of the path. During this construction the buses will lose the Memorial Union bus stop.
The committee also celebrated the completion of the Chazen Museum of Art renovation, which was completed in mid-October.
CORRECTION: In the Jan. 31 issue of The Badger Herald, the article “Landowner, UW clash on proposed student housing,” the Alumni Park along the Lakeshore path was incorrectly identified as the Memorial Union Park Project. The Herald regrets the error.
