September 19th Meeting Agenda

September 19, 2007

Block 258 Redevelopment – Steering Committee Meeting

Agenda

Address issue list (below)
General project update
Develop agenda for public meeting
Discuss October 3rd house tour

Issue List

1. Parking related issues –
a. How will parking be accessed?
b. With 40+ spaces below grade – will this be enough for 70+ units? (Multiple persons at community meeting seemed concerned about this) How big of an issue is parking?
c. Issue of basement garage concerning closeness to lake and storm water – needs to be discussed from both a detailed design and cost perspective.

2. Issues related to “need” for rental-housing
a. Is there a need for more rental-housing?
b. Is there concern with competition from existing rental units?

3. Neighborhood related issues
a. Comment – What needs to be done to move the neighborhood ahead?
b. Lack of a neighborhood plan
c. Intent of project – to serve the downtown workforce
d. Comment – Possibility of expanding retail space to include a coffee shop and/or a public gathering space to serve the local community.
e. Space for loading – and impact of “moving” time on development.
f. Schedule for leases

4. Historical Preservation Issues
a. Comment – Will the Pinkus McBride building be appropriately integrated?
b. Comment – Has it been considered to not incorporate the Pinkus McBride building and start from scratch?
b. Moving existing structures – which to consider and possible interested parties?

5. Issues related to proposed structure
a. With so much roof and developed structure will the building be able to adequately deal with events such as heavy rains and the required storm water management?
b. Comment – Maintaining the green space at the north corner (East Gorham) of the block?
c. Comment – Concern over the success of green roof systems and what kind of activity level will be considered?
d. Height of building
e. Bedroom sizes – both actual size of bedrooms and the number of bedrooms per apartment.

Meeting Notes October 3rd

Block 258 Project – Notes from Public Meeting on 10/3

Concerns of Neighborhood

- It was brought up to consider the cost of upgrading the current property.

- Concerns that tearing down current structures will start a “trend of disregarding history in Madison.” – “tear the buildings and the history down and we can never get it back.”

- Total bedroom count?

- Square footage of green space?

- When will the project start?

- What will the rent be?

- Low income housing issue – will there be any in this project?

- Community car parking space? – Using local materials – reusing building materials from torn down structures and/or working with Dane County ReStore – energy efficiency.

- Size of commercial space for Pinkus?

- How well will the architecture of the new building match the Pinkus building?

- Parking revisited – transition of downtown and parking use/needs

- Concern with trucks parked on E. Johnson unloading to Pinkus in regards to hazard to those riding bicycles – a way to have a loading dock?

- Comment suggesting the development may cause traffic issues in the neighborhood.

- Suggestion to keep all the houses as they are – historic preservation of all of the buildings.

- Plea to “make project smaller, make a little less money” and to preserve the building next to Pinkus (on Hamilton) – “History of Madison.”

- Suggestion to consider town-homes – “make more money.”

- Inclusionary zoning? (doesn’t work for rentals) – other options?

- Project may take away affordable housing.

- Project as a catalyst for other projects in the neighborhood (not sure whether the comment in my notes was intended as positive or negative).

Present and Future Plans for Block 258

Here is an overview of the current layout and proposed footprint of the new project.

• Please click here: Block 258

Here are photos of the existing structures.

• Please click here: Board Pics
  

Board Pictures:

• Please click here: Board Pics