High-Rise in Madison?

I just typed a much longer post about this article, but I lost it and am now very frustrated. So this'll be short. Written by the fabulous Meg Costello for the Badger Herald:

27-story complex stirs urban growth debate

A proposed 27-story building on the 900 block of East Washington Avenue is continuing to stir debate among Madison residents and officials. The complex, named the Archipelago Village, would overshadow all city buildings, by far exceeding the Capitol View Preservation Limit, but many agree developer Curt Brink has brought a positive and forward-thinking discussion to the Madison development table.

The city is grappling with the possibility of building a 27-story multi-use complex on the block where the Mautz Paint building lies. The reported cost for the Archipelago Village is estimated at $250 million, out-shadowing the $205 million Overture Center.

But Brink said the complex is designed to serve as a mass transportation hub that would bring in all forms of traffic. The building would also serve as conglomerate of 400,000 square feet of office space, 600,000 square feet of retail space, two hotels, a fitness center, a grocery store, more than 3,000 parking spaces and a possible water park.

By attracting visitors to the Archipelago Village, the complex would provide access to regional and local buses, the mayor’s proposed streetcar or several hundred bicycle lockers.

According to Brink, the “misnomer” of the project is “it just looks big” when, instead, the size could produce numerous opportunities for development in the East Washington Avenue area.

But Brink added that the size of Archipelago Village is not that big when compared to buildings in other cities, and due to the mass transportation traffic, the large design incorporates all the intersecting hubs.

“Looking at how it all works together and interacts, this is how the design comes out,” Brink said.

The building has spurred talk of Madison’s continuing urban growth. Mayoral spokesperson George Twigg said the battle between urban sprawl on the periphery or increasing city density is a current issue Archipelago Village tackles.

“Are we a small town or are we becoming a big city?” Twigg questioned. “While [the building] is a long way from breaking ground, it’s a good thing to have people coming forward.”

Twigg added Madison will have to look into options to secure this growth.

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