The Urban Design Commission will have another chance to take action on plans to renovate State Street’s 100 block Wednesday night, after the Landmarks Commission untraditionally referred its discussion to a later meeting to give UDC the ability to take up the issue.
Madison’s Landmarks Commission referred action on the 100 block plans with the hope that UDC would make suggestions to redesign the plan in a way that would be more favorable for Landmarks, according to Ald. Marsha Rummel, District 6, who is a member of both committees.
Landmarks plans to take action on the plan at its next meeting. The proposal has stirred up controversy among city committees, as various community groups protest the notion that the block’s historic nature could be destroyed.
Rummel said the Landmarks Commission plans to review several aspects of the renovation plan, including the demolition of the landmark Schubert Building and the Stark Building on the corner of Fairchild Street and Mifflin Street.
Because the Schubert Building is a historical landmark, a certificate of appropriateness must be issued by the Landmarks Commission before the building can be demolished, Rummel said.
However, Rummel added because the Stark Building is not a landmark, the Landmarks Commission need only make an advisory recommendation to UDC regarding its demolition.
Rummel said she believes Landmarks Commission referred its renovation plan discussions to give UDC the chance to suggest revisions to the plan before Landmarks potentially votes against the Schubert and Stark Buildings’ demolitions in its future meeting.
According to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, UDC members are divided on the issue of demolishing the two historic buildings, which would be removed to create an open plaza.
However, the Frautschi family, philanthropists who own the State Street 100 block properties and who have been the driving force behind the renovation plan, sent a letter to UDC last week threatening to sell the properties if it did not support the plaza.
Verveer said the Landmarks Commission made the correct decision in referring its discussion to a later meeting because a compromise is needed for the project to move forward.
“I was pleased the commission didn’t take final action at the meeting last night but deferred to the Urban Design Commission to see if a compromise could be made tomorrow,” Verveer said. “I remain optimistic that the UDC and developers can come to a closer compromise.”
According to UDC secretary Al Martin, the applicants of the State Street 100 block renovation plan will give a presentation that will be directed toward revisions made in accordance with the commission’s suggestions from its last meeting on Feb. 1. The presentation will be held at the meeting on Wednesday.
Project Manager George Austin said the debate surrounding the construction has been an ongoing issue because many have strongly opposed the construction, considering it will take place on State Street and affect several historic buildings.
“There are proponents and opponents to almost any development project in Madison,” Austin said. “The fact that the site is on State Street, within a block of the Capitol, and involves a bold plan, you would expect a wide variety of opinions.”
The Frautschi family will continue working with UDC to review the procedure the commission will take, Austin said.
