The Madison Plan Commission passed the proposal for construction to begin on the Kohl Center and Nicholas Johnson Pavilion, which would add a new hockey arena and locker room facilities to the existing structures.
The commission approved the project in a unanimous vote, sending it to the City Council for final approval later this month.
The project would consist of a 108,800-square-foot addition off the western wall of the Nicholas-Johnson Pavilion and would cover approximately 3.8 acres of UW property, with Ogg Residence Hall immediately to the west.
The proposed La Bahn Arena would include a 2,400-seat ice arena and training rooms for the swim teams, with a sky walk connecting to the SERF, a Plan Commission report said.
Ald. Lauren Cnare, District 3, said the proposal was so uncontroversial the commission decided to move it to the consent agenda, something which did not happen when the project received approval from the city’s Urban Design Commission.
“Items are typically moved to the consent agenda when they’re uncontroversial,” Ald. Lauren Cnare, District 3, said. “The proposal flew through without opposition.”
In addition to asking that infrastructural specifications for the new facility be met, the commission recommended UW not allow for more than 18,000 sold admissions for events held in the facility.
Cnare said the proposal was passed quickly since the Kohl Center is already a hub for the city and the vibrant campus community.
She added UW is generally very good at meeting the concerns of the city commission, and she does not expect the proposal to encounter opposition when it is considered by the city council at their next meeting, to be held as early as next week.
The commission also heard further testimony regarding the hotly disputed proposal to add a 14-story residential structure associated with the St. Paul’s Catholic Center in front of Pres House at the end of State Street.
Commission members previously raised concerns as to the height of the structure and the impact of the proposed structure on the Madison skyline.
“We feel that students are seeking a greater sense of community and the ability to make friends,” Father Eric Nielsen, a member of the St. Paul’s diocese, said. “The building also makes it more convenient for students to avail themselves to programming.”
The St. Paul’s design has faced numerous obstacles, including a recent recommendation from the Urban Design Commission to scale down the structure though the planners stand by their original design.
Ald. Michael Schumacher, District 18, spoke in favor of the plan, saying it would bring a different variety of architecture to the State Street area and praised the starkness of the design, despite the fact that items of the plan will still require additional modification.
Additionally, Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said Mayor Dave Cieslewicz’s proposal to buy the current location of the Don Miller dealership on East Washington Avenue passed through two city committees Monday night, launching the purchase closer to approval.
The land purchase, announced last month, passed through both the city’s Board of Estimates and Plan Commission Monday night.
