Everything was bad in the 1970s. Our presidents ranged from the criminal to the criminally self-righteous. Our economy figured out a way to be in both recession and hyper-inflation at the same time. Rock music had become so overproduced that that day’s music ain’t got no soul. There was “The Bob Newhart Show,” but that was about the only thing to be happy about.

And in that era was created the Edgewater Hotel’s addition of horrors. The crummy, nothingness of the fa?ade was to architecture what polyester was to fashion. To add insult to injury, it was built in the publicly owned right-of-way. Some nominal public access was written into the easement, and so today, if you want, you can go up on the hot gravel roof and share the scenery with heating and cooling equipment.

Now, developer Bob Dunn has proposed to make it right. He would eliminate the most awful aspects of the ’70s addition and replace it with a rooftop that would offer spectacular public access with a rooftop terrace, a grand staircase to the lake, a shoreline walkway and expanded pier. And, having learned our lesson, the City will insist on maximum public access to a real public amenity.

For UW, it would mean more hotel rooms close to campus and an exciting new facility that could enhance visits to the university for alumni, donors or parents. It would be an amenity at the end of Langdon Street with greatly enhanced views and public access to the lake.

Our lakes define the landscape of our city and of campus. They are our most precious natural assets. The Edgewater project would allow the university to take advantage of the lakes more fully, from one end of Langdon Street to the other. The Chancellor and members of the UW System Board of Regents have expressed their view that the project would add an important amenity for alumni, donors and others visiting campus.

And those are not the only things the project has to offer. In the midst of a recession, the project would create hundreds of well-paying, family supporting construction jobs and more permanent jobs when the expansion is completed. Students would find ample, conveniently-located part time job opportunities once the project is complete. At a time when unemployment in Dane County is at historic highs, these jobs are badly needed. It would also make a significant investment in our community at a time when our tax base is contracting.

After a unanimous vote by the Common Council to keep the project alive, it now heads to the Urban Design Commission and the Plan Commission before coming back to the Council in late February.

I hope we can work together with the developer, city committees and the Council to continue to move this important project forward. I hope students will make their voices heard about how the project will affect campus.

And, I hope we can once and for all get rid of that awful 1970s tower. Richard Nixon, stagflation and the Captain & Tennille are mercifully gone. And like them and polyester bell-bottoms, so should the current Edgewater fa?ade.

Dave Cieslewicz is the mayor of Madison.