Category Archives: Willy Street Commentary

Ice Cream May Close Jackson Street

Posted on by
Reply

Chocolate Shoppe debut bolsters effort to close street for public space initiative

The makings of a public space, spurred on by the opening of Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream's new Atwood Avenue location. Courtesy: Marsha Rummel

The makings of a public space, spurred on by the opening of Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream’s new Atwood Avenue location. Photo by: Marsha Rummel

By all accounts the opening weekend for Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream’s Atwood Avenue location was a great success. Lines of people were observed in front of the shop no doubt encouraged by a very clever social media post Friday (May 3): “We’re opening our walk up window and serving single cones and dishes at 2302 Atwood Avenue at 12pm today!! And just a hint, if you stop by before 9pm you may not need a wallet…”

By Sunday warm temperatures and sunshine brought out the bicycles and soon every piece of open grass around the store was occupied by ice cream fans. “It was fabulous,” said Josh Connelly, retail and marketing manager for Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream. “The neighborhood welcomed us with open arms to say the least.”

Connelly says that work will begin this week on construction and landscaping of the rear area of the property to transform it into an outdoor dining room with tables, chairs, lighting, and bike racks. For Sixth District Alder Marsha Rummel, the apparent initial success of this business on this corner will bolster her plans to temporarily shut down a section of Jackson Street, between Atwood and Saint Paul Avenue, as part of a national movement called “placemaking.”

Continue reading →

MNA Opposes 702 Williamson Development

Posted on by
2

Letter to Landmarks says height does not conform to BUILD II plan

The proposed six-story multi-family and commercial development at 702 Williamson. Courtesy: The Rifkin Group, LTD.

The proposed six-story multi-family and commercial development at 702 Williamson. Courtesy: The Rifkin Group, LTD.

The Marquette Neighborhood Association is opposing the height of a proposed commercial and multi-family development at 702-706 Williamson Street. The Rifkin Group, Ltd., which owns the current structure on the property is seeking permission from the City of Madison to demolish the building and build a six story one in its place with commercial use on the first floor and sixty (60) apartments above.

As with its central objection to the height of the 722 Williamson project, MNA said in a letter to the Landmarks Commission that the massing of the proposed buildings on this block do not fit within the BUILD II plan created by the neighborhood and threatens to block out residential views of the capitol building.

The proposed demolition and development is on the agenda for this afternoon’s (May 5) City of Madison Landmarks Commission meeting.

Continue reading →

Help Blake Beat Burkitt’s Leukemia This Sunday

Posted on by
Reply

Fundraiser for a boy who beat leukemia but needs help beating bills

1899955_272627359567181_877352916_nI first met 4-year old Blake Rickert at a birthday dinner for his mother about a year ago and I was impressed with his undying exuberance even though he was the only child amongst ten other adults.

I would see this precocious young man at other friend gatherings from then on, playing with toys that boys often find interesting like trucks and large construction equipment. This fellow has more texture than that as I’m told he also likes gardening, shoveling, and of course, superheros. Just about every superhero needs a sidekick. With the evil foes Blake has been fighting so far in 2014, he is looking for his Robin (Dick Grayson for purists).

It was earlier this year that Blake was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Leukemia, a rare form of cancer that is aggressive (growing in size every 14 hours) but also highly treatable. Since January he has been undergoing an aggressive treatment protocol at the American Family Childrens Hospital with very encouraging results. Recently Blake’s mother Jill announced that a bone marrow biopsy found no leukemic cells and all the tumors are gone.

I guess he has earned a newly bestowed moniker: Super Blake

Continue reading →

Commercial Development on Willy May Dominate MNA Board Meeting

Posted on by
2

Developments at each end of street highlight contrasting neighborhood priorities

1380 Williamson Street is currently vacant, but 16 Bar Spoons wants to turn the residence into a craft cocktail lounge

1380 Williamson Street is currently vacant, but 16 Bar Spoons wants to turn the residence into a craft cocktail lounge

While every Marquette Neighborhood Association Board meeting is important, tonight’s (March 20) meeting may further illuminate the difference in preferences for development on Williamson Street. With the neighborhood already at loggerheads over too much residential development at 722 and now 706 Williamson; a proposal to convert an existing residence into a craft cocktail lounge did not earn MNA’s  Preservation & Development Committee recommendation at Wednesday’s meeting.

Josh Swentzel (Star Liquor, Grampa’s Pizzeria, Tip Top Tavern), Hastings Cameron (Forequarter, Underground Food Collective) and Gilbert Altschul (Grampa’s Pizzeria, Mickey’s Tavern) have formed 16 Bar Spoons, LLC. to lease the property at 1380 Williamson which is currently owed by Ben Altschul (Gilbert’s brother) and which Swentzel says is currently vacant. The yet to be named lounge divided the committee since the location would turn a two-unit residence into a commercial establishment.

Continue reading →

Willy East Remodel Work Thawing

Posted on by
Reply

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.

Continue reading →

Willy Street Blog @ “2”

Posted on by
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.

Continue reading →

Input on Neighborhood Fests Sought

Posted on by
2

MNA survey wonders aloud if Orton Park Fest should change locations

Orton Park Festival in 2012. Photo by: Thomas Balistreri

Orton Park Festival in 2012. Photo by: Thomas Balistreri

The Marquette Neighborhood Association is seeking input from residents through a survey, regarding the scope of their two sponsored neighborhood gatherings: The Orton Park and Marquette Waterfront Festivals. The events are a major city-wide and regional draw and provide a majority of the operating funds for MNA’s other activities. However debate has simmered in recent years about  whether they are most effective in their current form and location

While it seems unbelievable to hold the Orton Park Festival somewhere else, the event is bursting at it’s seams. Central Park is now finally taking shape and some have suggested large neighborhood events like OPF and La Fete de Marquette should be held at that location, just like La Fete was during its first years.

Continue reading →

722 Willy Developers to Present Project Changes

Posted on by
2

Three design variations to be presented this week at special P&D meeting

MNA’s Preservation & Development Committee will hold their monthly meeting at a special time on Wednesday October 23 to view proposed changes to the 722 Williamson development. The 722 Williamson Subcommittee of P&D has met several times with the project developers, Baldwin Development Group, and committee chairman Bruce Woods reports that BDG will present several changes based on neighborhood input.

Continue reading →

722 Willy Working Group Outlines Concerns

Posted on by
2

MNA committee sends UDC its initial take on proposed development

It is unknown at this point if meetings between a special Marquette Neighborhood Association working group and Baldwin Development Group will yield any changes to a development planned for the 700 block of Williamson Street. The MNA 722 Subcommittee was formed to work through concerns about the project with BDG after the developer signaled it would seek exceptions to building guidelines developed by the neighborhood.

The 722 Williamson Subcommittee, part of MNA’s Preservation & Development Committee, has met several times now with BDG and last week committee chairman Bruce Woods sent a letter to Madison’s Urban Design Commission outlining their initial concerns. The letter gives no indication that BDG was planning any changes based on the discussions. What the letter does do is formalize and organize the varying concerns and plaudits that have been expressed about the design so far.  Continue reading →

We’re Quite Neighborly

Posted on by
1

Williamson-Marquette named a top place to live in the United States

Earlier this month the Williamson-Marquette Neighborhood was recognized as a Top 10 Great Neighborhood in the United States. The honor, presented by the American Planning Association, is ratification of the intense involvement by neighborhood residents both longtime and new to create a truly unique and rewarding place to live.

“Marquette has a vibrancy that is a benchmark for other neighborhoods,” said Mayor Soglin at a ceremony the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center on October 4. “It is our SoHo.”

Citing walkability, strong revitalization efforts following decades of decline, and strong community engagement, the APA‘s Larry Ward presented the award to the neighborhood and was joined by Soglin, District 6 Alder Marsha Rumel and Marquette Neighborhood Association representatives Lindsey Lee and David Mollenhoff.

“The Marquette Neighborhood has the rich legacy of a place built up before the era of the automobile. Shops, entertainment, and employment are all located within walking distance of our homes. This is the foundation on which our Great Neighborhood was built,” said Alder Marsha Rummel. “As we develop and redevelop areas of the City, we should aim to create other great neighborhoods with the same human scale and mix of uses as Marquette.”

In the late 1960s and early 1970s the Marquette neighborhood, dilapitdated in some areas and bound by an aging industrial corridor, was threatened by various uneven development schemes including a freeway through the rail corridor. The MNA was formed in 1968 in part to combat these encroachments and created its first neighborhood plan in 1971.

The plan and the engagement of community members who took the risk to live and build the neighborhood to what it is today, is why the APA is recognizing what we have already known for some time: This is a great place to live.