Category Archives: Willy Street Commentary

Like a Phoenix — 1018 Williamson

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What’s happening with that abandoned house on Willy Street?

Brandon Cook purchased 1018 Willamson after the home was given a reprieve from demolition if a buyer could be found. Photo by: Gary Tipler

Brandon Cook purchased 1018 Willamson after the home was given a reprieve from demolition if a buyer could be found. Photo by: Gary Tipler

Many of us have noted the recent changes to the formerly abandoned 1890s house at 1018 Williamson. It’s the doings of Brandon Cook who has an unmitigated enthusiasm for renovating old buildings.

Most people would wonder, why did 1018 Williamson appeal to Brandon – a building that had been both gutted and derelict for about 24 years? The house had “good bones” but needed someone committed to renovating it.

“When I first looked inside, I thought, this could be great. What a fantastic opportunity to redo everything. What needed to be done was very clear. And I could put it back together to the best of my ability. I had an accepted offer within an hour,” Cook said. “Everything about this project is a labor of love. How can I make the best installations?”

Brandon closed on the property in 1018 Williamson in March, 2015, and began planning the renovation. He and his architect Doug Pahl of Aro Eberle put together a plan for two, two-story apartments — a second floor flat with the attic and the ground floor coupled with a finished basement. It included a rear addition as most houses in the neighborhood historically have them.

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Warning of a Treepocalypse

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Jenifer residents hopeful some trees can still be saved

Will the Jenifer Street tree canopy survive reconstruction and a short-sighted City tree policy?

Will the Jenifer Street tree canopy survive reconstruction and a short-sighted City tree policy?

City of Madison forestry crews have begun to trim trees on Jenifer street ahead of a four block reconstruction project that will last most of the year. Forty two trees are slated for removal. Many are being removed because they are being ravaged by the Emerald Ash Borer or may be at risk.

In the face of the loss of legacy trees comes pushback from residents over the City’s policy on replacing those trees with a species that grows no taller than the base of the power lines. Lifelong residents and newer arrivals are fighting like mad as the idyllic beauty of the street is being threatened by a functional policy that takes a tactical rather than strategic view.

A silent protest arose on the 800 and 900 block of Jenifer recently as signs affixed to many of the condemned trees sought to remind residents of the coming of a possible treepocalypse.

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Chances Dwindling To Influence Jenifer Street Reconstruction

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Neighborhood seeks to change scope of construction with recommendations

Jeni10The Marquette Neighborhood Association (MNA) will consider tonight (7:00 p.m.) several proposals deal with the impact of the Jenifer Street Reconstruction project that will begin this summer. The MNA Traffic Committee met Monday and debated a range of issues, some related to the construction, others regarding the legacy the construction will leave behind.

During construction, bus service will have to be rerouted. Currently as many as four routes traverse Jenifer Street and Madison Metro’s latest proposal has the bus routes moved to East Washington Avenue. The general sentiment has been that this solution is easiest for Metro and rather inconvenient for neighborhood residents who utilize this service heavily.

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Saving Trees From the Ground Up

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Proposal would allow higher tree heights on terraces currently limited by powerlines

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The Guyot house (right) has had this power pedestal outside their home since they undergrounded their power lateral in the late 1970s. MNA is considering a proposal to underground the primary power lines to maintain the high tree canopy which is threatened by MG&E’s tree planting policy.

The once-delayed major reconstruction or a four block stretch of Jenifer Street is moving forward again but residents are still working to blunt the impact of what may be stark changes to the look and function of the street.

The most recent initiative from neighbors is to advocate for the undergrounding of the primary power lines to help maintain the current tree canopy. The fabled canopy is under a dual threat from forced removal of trees due to the Emerald Ash Borer and any replacement trees being of a species that grows no higher than below the current power lines.

The Marquette Neighborhood Association Board (MNA) will vote this week via email to forward a recommendation to the City of Madison to include partial undergrounding of the primary power lines to help preserve the tree canopy. The initiative grew out of a series of meetings on the Jenifer reconstruction that have been held in the past months by MNA.

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PCBs Still Present Along Bike Path Next to Kipp

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Environmental and Safety Coordinator Alina Satkoski notified Atwood area residents today (January 4) that the last excavation of soils did not remove all of the PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyl) that were found  last year along the Capital City Trail bike Path between Madison-Kipp and the Goodman Center.

Satkoski wrote that a second excavation will occur this week and continue through the next to remove more soil in a plan she says was approved by the City of Madison and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The bike path will remain open during the excavation.

Neighbors have kept a close eye on Kipp due to several ongoing issues from historical contamination of area soils from the industrial business operations over the decades. In the past the company has had to excavate topsoil from several properties that abut the plant due to contamination.

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Joint Neighborhood Advisory Committee Formed to Press City and Developer on Marling Site

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MNA & SASYNA want a say as developer submits formal plans to City

A view of the mixed-used development proposed for the Marling site at 1801 E. Washington Avenue.

A view of the mixed-used development proposed for the Marling site at 1801 E. Washington Avenue.

Talk of redeveloping the Marling Lumber site has existed for over a year, but has found new momentum after a public meeting in September where developers, Campbell Capital Group, LLC., presented their plan to redevelop the site featuring a largely residential mixed-use development.

Late last month Campbell Capital submitted their plan to the City of Madison to build a 230 unit apartment complex with 20,000 square feet of commercial space, mostly on East Washington Avenue. In a Letter of Intent to the City, CCG Founder Micheal J. Campbell proposed the two to four story interconnected buildings would blend in with the neighborhood by presenting welcoming features both along East Washington and the Yahara River.

“A public plaza along the Yahara River connects and integrates the Project and its residents with the surrounding neighborhood. This sense of community, and interaction at the street level, is further enhanced by the exterior entrances to some of the residential units along East Main Street,” Campbell wrote.

One hundred and fifty of the 230 units will be 1-bedroom, 78 are 2-bed, and three will be 3-bed with the average square footage of each unit adding up to 811 square feet. There  will also be three courtyards, an outdoor pool, interior structured parking with 334 spaces and 265 spaces for bicycles.

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DOA Hubris Apparent After Refusing to Hold Public Meeting Over Demolition

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State agency says online FAQ sufficient vehicle for communicating with neighborhood over project

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The demolition of the State of Wisconsin’s now closed Central Services Facility along the Yahara River to make way for a new State archives building is proceeding despite deep community concerns over that process and a lack of communication from the Department of Administration (DOA), which is in charge of the project.

The DOA had been holding community members and state legislators at arms length all summer over concerns about harmful chemicals and materials at the 100 year-old industrial site and what might be released during the demolition.

Despite a productive meeting two weeks ago between the DOA and area legislators Senator Fred Risser and Representative Chris Taylor, the State is refusing to hold a community meeting to answer resident’s questions about the project. Instead, DOA posted an FAQ on it’s website, claiming it provides sufficient information and thus precludes the need for a public meeting.

“It’s too bad they are not taking the community’s input into account, no one is saying to shut the project down, but we want to make sure this project is safe and that this project doesn’t endanger our environment and our public health, ” Taylor told Willy Street blog.  “And they’re just not giving the community an opportunity to hear from the project manager and the contractor that they are doing a lot of things right.

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Environmental Safeguards Seriously Lacking in Central Services Demolition Plan

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DOA meets with lawmakers after quiet bidding process and unresponsiveness

The former Central Services Facility is being demolished for a new State archives preservation and storage building. Residents are concerned the demolition will spread toxins that exist from 100 years of industrial activity on the site.

The former Central Services Facility is being demolished for a new State archives preservation and storage building. Residents are concerned the demolition spread toxins that exist from 100 years of industrial activity on the site.

Marquette neighborhood residents are alarmed about the impending demolition of a state storage building at 202 South Thornton Avenue, the former State of Wisconsin Central Services Facility. The 100 year-old building served as a foundry, munitions plant, manufactured appliances, housed a printing press and served as a service facility for the state’s vehicle fleet.

Neighbors, environmental groups and now local, state and federal legislative officials are concerned the Department of Administration’s (DOA) current Environmental Assessment (EA) far underestimates exactly what types and the amounts of toxins such as PCBs, PCEs, PAHs and other heavy metals remain on the site or have seeped into the ground. There is further worry that the State’s plan to contain those contaminates during demolition is woefully inadequate.

In it’s place, a four-story $46.7 Million state of the art archive preservation and storage facility will be constructed on the site along the Yahara River, for the Wisconsin State Historical Society and Veterans Museum.

The project, approved in 2013, will include greenspace and Native American ceremonial grounds which are planned for the Yahara frontage. In the future, more expansion could happen to land not in the building’s footprint on the Dickinson Street side which for now will be landscaped.

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Demolition By Neglect

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Alder Rummel employs defensive strategy to retain Landmarks control over new project after developer appeals earlier demo denial to full Common Council

A four-story mixed-use building is proposed for this site currently occupied by a single family home.

After being spared several times, the Landmarks Commission has approved it’s demolition. However, the building that is proposed to replace it has not yet been approved.

Just weeks after the house at 906 Williamson appeared to have it’s Lazarus moment, it appears now it will likely be demolished. Last night (July 6) the Landmarks Commission approved the demolition after District Six Alder Marsha Rummel, who serves on Landmarks, requested reconsideration after the Commission denied permission last month.

The Commission voted 3-2 with Chairman Stu Levitan breaking a tie vote along with Rummel Commissioner Jason Fowler. Developer Louis Fortis is seeking to demolish the 1900s era house and build a four story mixed-use building.

According to an email to constituents on the MNA Listserv, Rummel acted at last night’s meeting after the developers indicated they were going to appeal the June 15 denial by Landmarks to the full City Council.

“If the appeal went to the Council, the Council could have overturned the denial of the Certificate of Appropriateness and approved the proposed new construction as presented. The Council would look at the record and the ordinance but the appeal language grants them latitude to consider other factors. I was also concerned about the message to developers if the Council upheld the appeal,” Rummel wrote.

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Drug Raid on Jenifer Street Brings Out Police Toys

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Madison Police SWAT team deployed to 900 block Tuesday afternoon

A Madison Police Assault vehicle takes a position in front of 909 Jenifer Street which was the target of a drug raid, June 16, 2015.

A Madison Police Assault vehicle takes a position in front of 909 Jenifer Street which was the target of a drug raid, June 16, 2015.

Madison Police executed a search warrant in the 900 block of Jenifer Street yesterday (June 16) just after 12:30 p.m. as part of a investigation into drug activity. Traffic was blocked off for the entire block while members of the Madison Police SWAT team moved in.

Neighbors reported seeing a large military-style vehicle painted in black with Madison Police markings park in front of the home and a public address speaker on the vehicle told the occupants that they [the police] were aware they had guns. Kendall G. Ragland, 36, was arrested  during a high risk traffic stop on south Carroll Street and charged with four felonies and one misdemeanor in relation to the investigation.

Madison Police Department says that the raid was the result of a seven month investigation which recovered more than 32 grams of heroin and more than 14 grams of cocaine as well as other evidence but so far there is no information that weapons were found; however the investigation is ongoing.

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