On Tuesday, Madison’s City Council approved a project that will build a six-story apartment building where the soon-to-be demolished Stadium Bar is currently located.
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said even though in the past many local students advocated for the Stadium Bar to remain, there is nothing City Council could do to keep the bar how it is.
He said this is because City Council makes their decisions based on Madison’s zoning code and the right of the applicants. The owner of Stadium Bar, who applied to replace the bar with a six-story apartment building, met these conditions, Resnick said.
According to a City of Madison document, the project for the new apartment building includes six stories of 72 apartment units and space for retail. Resnick said the owner may decide to put something similar to the Stadium Bar in the space set aside for retail.
“Students have served them well over the years, so hopefully that encourages them to continue the bar service,” Resnick said.
Resnick said he disagreed with concerns raised by the University of Wisconsin Police Department that apartment buildings more than six stories have increased rates of crime.
Madison has other six-story buildings and many that are taller than six stories that the city enforces laws within, Resnick said. He said he believes the city made the right decision unanimously approving the project.
“I have zero concern about an increase in crime due to this project,” Resnick said.
He said construction on the project could begin in as soon as a month, or sometime during summer or fall.
City Council also voted to change an ordinance that previously required a yearlong waiting period for a liquor license if the previous establishment had gotten their liquor license revoked.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he believes passing the ordinance, which will get rid of the waiting period, is the right thing to do. He said it is unfair to blame landlords for the actions of their tenants. It will also help ensure there are fewer vacancies in downtown establishments, he said.
“Under this ordinance, the city will have more discretion, so we don’t feel handcuffed by this law that mandates a new liquor license cannot be granted for a whole year,” Verveer said. “It gives us more discretion and flexibility.”
The new ordinance was inspired by Logan’s, a bar that was located on West Johnson Street, but was shut down when the city began investigating reports that the bar served minors and more alcohol than their liquor license allowed, Verveer said.
He said the city had chosen to not revoke the bar’s liquor license because they wanted to make sure a new establishment would be able to start operating where Logan’s was located, and not have to wait for the obligatory yearlong period to pass.
Landlords should not be blamed when their tenants have their liquor licenses revoked, Verveer said. He said the city often strongly encourages and works with landlords to ensure that their tenants follow laws and city ordinances. He said it is in the best interest of the landlords that their tenants do not get their liquor licenses revoked because when this happens, they are often left with unpaid rent and other problems.
“In cases where we feel landlords should act, we reach out to landlords to assist and bring pressure on a problematic liquor license tenant,” Verveer said.
He added most landlords were unaware of the ordinance that required a year wait to receive a new liquor license if a previous tenant had their liquor license revoked.
