A block of Spring Street could stay closed until the end of the year as a result of a construction project in the area, according to Madison traffic officials.

Ideal Builders installed a crawler crane on the 1200 block of Spring Street Monday, according to a press release from traffic officials. The street will remain closed for the extent of the work on a new apartment complex being built there.

The Spring Street area is known to be one of the most dense off-campus housing locations west of Park Street. Developers and the city have approved even more projects in recent years that would increase the density of the area.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, confirmed the construction is the result of the new development of the apartment complex on Spring Street.

Sidewalks will remain open to provide access to businesses during construction, but drivers are urged to use alternate routes to prevent traffic setbacks, Madison traffic officials said.

Spring Street lies between West Dayton Street and Regent Street south of campus on the east side of Camp Randall. The 1200 block is between Orchard Street and Charter Street.

The corridor has recently added more high-density development. In May, the city’s Urban Design Commission unanimously approved plans for the high-rise apartment complex earlier this year.

Similar to many other new projects in the area, the new building will have a gray exterior with street level landscaping to blend well with the building. It will also include parking for bikes, mopeds and cars.

The building will be unable to manage a green roof due to cost but the commission urged a two-foot strip of green space as a condition of the approval.

Commission member Mark Smith also told The Badger Herald in a previous report that in spite of his overall approval of the project he had concerns about the building’s aesthetic properties.

“Because the colors [of the building] are so close, I’m afraid it’s just going to look like a big concrete building,” Smith said.