In general, continuous modernization has made Madison a vibrant place to live, and efforts to defend tradition for tradition’s sake have been backward-looking and obstructionist. This is, however, an oversimplification – some development plans are good, and some are not.
A case in point of a rare modern development that will have a negative impact on the downtown neighborhood is “The Hub,” a planned 12 story mixed-use building on the 500 block of State Street. In their eagerness to approve any development at all on a location largely occupied by an old parking lot, city officials have substituted iconic ethnic restaurants with commercial space and yet another exclusive, overpriced apartment complex.
It is understandable City Council approved this development unanimously. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, explained that development on this part of State Street has been a long time coming, saying “most of the blueprint of this project is on a surface parking lot that has long outlived its useful lot. Frankly, it should have been developed decades ago.” Not only was this real estate in need of development, but according to Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, The Hub will offer more commercial space for retail outlets on State Street and Frances Street.
I can’t argue with the fact that the 500 block was in need of development, and I can’t argue with the reality that The Hub will provide more space for businesses. Nevertheless, I think that this development plan is wrong for State Street because it won’t benefit the majority of downtown residents. The Hub might make sense in terms of dollars and cents, but I don’t think it will do much good for, say, the average University of Wisconsin student.
For one thing, it will displace local businesses such as Kabul, Husnus and Baraka. Not only are these restaurants quite popular, but for decades they have also contributed to something less quantifiable but just as important to downtown residents – a vibrant atmosphere. All it takes is a walk around downtown on a late August evening to notice that a great many people enjoy eating out downtown. A wide variety of excellent restaurants is something the stretch of State Street between the UW campus and the Capitol is identified with and celebrated for, and it is something that city officials should seek to preserve.
Local restaurants make Madison an awesome place to live in a way that retail outlets and expensive apartments don’t. Ultimately, I think that Kabul, Husnus and Baraka have done more good for State Street than The Hub will, once it is built.
This begs the question: What will The Hub add to the downtown area? For the moment, I am going to ignore the impact of the commercial space it will add to State Street. It seems unlikely that the added retail outlets will be an improvement on what is there now. That leaves an apartment complex with a rooftop swimming pool.
Some city officials think that this living space will give students more downtown housing options – but which students are they referring to? It is hard to believe that these apartments will be affordable to the most UW students. Speaking for myself, as soon as I heard “rooftop swimming pool” I knew that The Hub will not be the sort of place I could afford to live as a college student. From the sounds of it, it will join Lucky, the Towers, Grand Central Station, etc. as one more prohibitively expensive apartment complex.
City planners must realize that students need affordable housing options. For all intents and purposes, overpriced housing is just as bad as no housing at all, especially when it displaces businesses that have the longstanding support of downtown residents and contribute positively to the downtown atmosphere.
Charles Godfrey ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in math and physics.
