La Fête Makes Triumphant Central Park Return

Masked Ball for adults and kids joins french, cajun and blues music festival

Underground house music DJ Derrick Carter will headline the Masked Ball Saturday at  La Fete de Marquette.

Underground house music DJ Derrick Carter will headline the Masked Ball Saturday at La Fete de Marquette.

La Fête de Marquette, the French-infused neighborhood celebration of music and culture that raises money for the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center is returning to a familiar but much improved place. Central Park was officially opened this year and La Fête will be the first festival to be held after long delayed plans to develop the space as a park were finally realized.

The first two festivals were held to promote the idea of Central Park and were located on the grounds of the current park. For seven years the festival has grown and matured while it dwelled at the corner of Dickinson and Main Streets. This year features a vast and inspired mix of events including one named Big Top, which suggests the return to a larger space is just in time.

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Willy East Remodel Work Thawing

Cold has slowed some work but August completion deadline is solid

Work on the exterior of Willy East has been slowed by the extended cold this winter.

Work on the exterior of Willy East has been slowed by the extended cold this winter.

Last summer Willy Street Co-op management put forth a referendum to members to approve an additional $2 million in expenditures to the already approved $2 million for needed repairs and expansion of their Willy East location.

With the concurrence of the membership, the Co-op has launched head-long into the project and noticeable changes are taking place. The cold has slowed progress on the outside but changes are humming along on the inside as evidenced by a large tented area in the middle of the store that, during a recent visit, appeared both surprising and mysterious.

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Willy Street Blog @ “2”

Neighborhood blog to continue hyper-focus

What do you give the neighborhood that has everything? Well certainly not another person with an opinion. When you start a blog, its like any good essay, pick a few central themes and nurture them with attribution and reasoned analysis. But it is no small challenge to write about by far the most engaged, opinionated, funky, and cool neighborhood in the nation.

Willy Street Blog was born in March 2012, in the midst of the recall drive, but soon turned away from state politics as plenty of great voices were already speaking to the issue. In a city that features stupendous local reporting from numerous outlets, why should anyone bother to read some random blog?

The key is to really not care.

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Scenes from La Fete de Marquette

A view from the Big Wheel of  La Fete de Marquette, Saturday July 13, 2013.

A view from the Big Wheel of La Fete de Marquette, Saturday July 13, 2013.

La Fete de Marquette benefited from glorious weather this weekend with sunny skies and highs in the 80s. The sun splashed French music and culture festival to benefit Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center overcame the slightly uncomfortable temperatures at times to provide foot-stomping music both on the main stage and underneath the big tent.

One of the highlights so far has been the performances of Mama Digdown’s Brass Band which is celebrating 20 years as a Madison stalwart. The New Orleans style brass band raised the big tent Saturday afternoon with a raucous performance.  Continue reading

La Fete de Marquette Begins Today

7th Annual French music and culture festival benefits Wil-Mar Neighorhood Center

Its been called one of the best music festivals in the City of Madison. Even the New Orleans musicians invited north to play the event say it outclasses many gatherings in the Crescent City. For the Marquette neighborhood its just good fun for a good cause.

The 7th Annual La Fete de Marquette begins tonight through Sunday (July 11-14) at the corners of East Washington Avenue and South Dickinson Streets. Its is just the right mix of great music, carnival fun (the Ferris Wheel is back!), and the best of East Side area restaurants.  Continue reading

Gehbardt Proposal Selected for Block 800

Neighborhood leader calls plan a “Home Run” as grocery store closer to reality

The 800 North Block East Washington Avenue Committee has unanimously voted to recommend that a proposal submitted by Gebhardt Development be built on the city-owned parcel of land next to Reynolds Park. The $63.7 million proposal features 48,000 square feet of commercial space, 262 residential units and a 50,000 square-foot Metcalfe’s grocery store which has been long-desired by the neighborhood.

In addition to approving the proposal, the committee added six additional recommendations as City Staff move on to the negotiating phase with Gebhardt. The recommendations expand on the sustainability aspects of Gebhardt’s design that was already highly advanced. The committee also set guidelines for housing affordability as well as a call for union-neutral commercial tenants.

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Nostalgia or Sizzle for Block 800

A deep read on the three proposals looking to remake the Don Miller site

The 800 Block of East Washington Avenue looking east towards Breese Stevens Field. Developers were required to consider how the stadium would tie into their site designs.

The north 800 Block of East Washington Avenue looking east towards Breese Stevens Field. The City is attempting to create an impressive gateway corridor just east of the Capitol while encouraging developments that blend sensible residential and commercial uses  for area residents. Photo by: Jamie Grunniwaldt

The quest to revive the moribund Capitol East corridor has been restarted on the City-owned 800 block of East Washington Avenue as three new proposals are under consideration.  The City was negotiating last year with Urban Land Interests to build mixed-use commercial and residential buildings featuring high-tech tenants but talks centering on public financing of a parking ramp broke down and the proposal was withdrawn.

The failed first attempt at developing the site was a sigh of relief to many residents of the Tenney-Lapham neighborhood, and to a certain extent those in the Marquette neighborhood, who were excited about a late (but not considered) proposal by Metcalfe’s Market for a mixed-used development including a grocer, hotel, and apartments. As the 800 North Block East Washington Avenue Committee prepares to consider submissions from T. Wall Enterprises, C.D. Smith, and Gebhardt Development one proposal is emerging as a clear favorite.  Continue reading

Gateway Sculpture Seeks Support

Facebook page launched to boost interest and donations

The tree sculpture will be located on the Williamson Street median.

The tree sculpture will be located on the Williamson Street median. Created by Artist Dave Danforth

Driving west on John Nolen Drive sometime in the future motorists will round the corner onto Williamson Street and behold a tall metal sculpture in the form of a tree. The Williamson Gateway Sculpture will be located on the median at the west end of Willy Street as a greeter for the Marquette Neighborhood.  Continue reading

Fresh Meat

Underground Food Collective to open butcher shop on Willy

Courtesy: Underground Food Collective

A traditional butcher shop will be opening at 811 Williamson street by the end of the month. The Underground Food Collective which offers catering, cured meats, and also operates the recently opened restaurant Forequarter on Johnson street; looks to offer meats supplied by farmers who take a caring approach to their animals and crops.

The location, which according to UFC was originally the Williamson Blacksmith building for which Williamson Street got its name, will also serve as a retail outlet for UFC’s other items such as jams, pickels, mustards, and krauts.

You can find out more information at UFC’s blog

Related: The Best Goat Salami in America