Plans to put student housing developments in place of the Stadium Bar may be in the works, despite the establishment’s long-standing history as college hot spot for home football games.
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said the owners of the Stadium Bar are looking to sell it in the near future, a move that may result in a student-targeted housing development on the plot.
He added the proposed development would be a good fit in the neighborhood, citing its location near other student apartment buildings and its proximity to the University of Wisconsin. The city has not yet seen the final proposal from developers, he said.
The Opus Group, the developer expressing interest in the proposed development, declined to comment.
However, Ald. Sue Ellingson, District 13, said the development is currently set to be a six-story mixed-use development with the first floor reserved for commercial space and the next five comprising residential spaces.
There have been initial discussions of moving either a restaurant or a bar into the first level of the new project, Resnick said.
“It may not be the same Stadium Bar we all remember, but there have been conversations,” Resnick said.
Ellingson noted she would not be surprised if the Stadium Bar goes back into the first floor of the building.
According to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, the bar has been a campus landmark for years and attracts thousands of people each season during home football games. The bar is also home to a popular volleyball league every summer.
Resnick noted the disappointment that will likely be felt by numerous patrons of the Stadium Bar.
“It’s unfortunate any time some place you have memories at is going to change,” Resnick said. “Hopefully with what gets replaced, there will also [be an opportunity to] build new memories and contribute to the neighborhood.”
The bar primarily resides within the district of City Council President Ald. Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, District 5, who said the project idea has been in the works for a few months. She added more definitive plans to move forward with a potential development began around three weeks ago.
Verveer said the proposal is the most recent example of a tremendous building boom in the campus area that has taken place over the last several years. He said many of the new developments in the past semester presented to the city have been student-oriented.
Despite whether the proposed development moves forward to take the place of the bar, the city has a strict policy against funding student housing, Verveer said.
“We very much frown on providing city financial assistance to student housing projects,” Verveer said. “Most student housing projects are actually quite profitable.”
Ellingson said the planning is in its earliest stages. Should the proposal go forward, it would need to be approved by members of the Urban Design Commission, Plan Commission, City Council and potentially neighborhood members.
Resnick, Ellingson and Bidar-Sielaff will host a neighborhood meeting Dec. 6 at Union South to hear comments and concerns from Madison citizens.
