The Joint Southeast Campus Area Committee met Monday night to consider future projects on campus and updates on existing projects.
Committee member Gary Brown led the discussion about future projects, which included the development of a music performance facility and bringing an art warehouse back to the University of Wisconsin campus.
The School of Music performance facility would be located at the intersection of Lake Street and University Avenue, Brown said. The project to build the facility is currently in fundraising and has reached 50 percent of the goal funds. He said as soon as 75 percent of the goal funds have been raised, the design process will begin.
Brown expects to reach 75 percent funding within six to nine months. He added he has received positive feedback from the community.
“We’ve had a couple of people call and think this is great,” Brown said. “A lot of people are interested.”
Tandem Press, located on Dickinson Street, is an off-campus UW warehouse used by art students, Brown said. The warehouse originally stood where Ogg Residence Hall currently stands, he said.
Brown said he wants Tandem Press to be located on the UW campus again. He said the proposed location would be in a warehouse east of the Kohl Center. He noted an arts district in that area of campus would be something for students to look forward to in the future.
The committee also discussed the next phase of the Gordon Commons Dining Hall project.
Brown said the physical demolition of the old Gordon Commons would begin Friday of this week, but most of the concrete would be crushed during the semester break.
“We wanted to do it when students were out of town,” Brown said. “It’ll be a noisy operation.”
The old Gordon Commons will become a green space with a large patio, an open dining area and an open pass of recreational space, Brown said.
Brown said concrete and other stone crushed during the demolition of the old Gordon Commons would be recycled as part of the reuse and recycle plan approved by the city of Madison.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he spent Election Day in the new Gordon Commons Dining Hall and was impressed.
“It’s a gorgeous facility.” Verveer said. “It’s spectacular in so many ways.”
The renovation of Memorial Union is set for completion in July 2014, Brown said. Fundraising for phase two of the renovation, which includes the restoration of the central and east wings as well as upgrades to the Terrace, is underway.
Mark Guthier, committee member, said $5 million has been raised so far as part of the $20 million fundraising goal.
Guthier said based off current funds raised, the project is on schedule and within the proposed budget, but he would like to be slightly further ahead.
He said he is pleased with the lack of problems encountered with Hoofer space thus far, as it is very close to the renovation sites at Memorial Union.
Brown additionally said a piece of the Lake Mendota Shoreline Reconstruction, tied to Memorial Union shorelines, would be completed in May of 2013.
