Business Beat: Goben's proposal to open used car lot hits wall

Mike Ivey  —  9/17/2008 10:14 am

Like blue smoke from a blown engine, controversy seems to follow Goben Cars.

Three years ago, the used car dealer had to battle neighbors on the city's east side before getting approval to locate a lot at the corner of Pflaum and Stoughton roads.

Now, Goben is fighting the city of Middleton over trying to open a new location on one acre of land it owns at the corner of Airport Road and Nursery Drive.

In May, the project got a conceptual approval from the city plan commission. But the city reversed course last month after receiving letters of opposition from T. Wall Properties and Jon Lancaster, who both own property near the proposed Goben site.

Their opposition was based on the design of the one-story, metal-sided building and concern it would bring down the neighborhood. Lancaster's Lexus dealership is on Airport Road. Nearby, T. Wall is pursuing Harvard Square, a business park, and Tribeca Village, a $280 million mixed-use development.

"A used car parking lot is going to detract from the quality of the neighborhood and will impede our proposed development from attracting quality tenants that will pay high wages to the neighborhood," Terrence Wall wrote in a letter to the city.

But owner Don Goben maintains the big guys are out to beat up on a small businessman. He also thinks Schoepp Motors, a used car dealer located on the other side of U.S. 12, is working behind the scenes to keep out a competitor.

"These guys are all trying to screw me," Goben charges.

Nonsense, counters owner Doug Schoepp.

"This is the second time he's accused me of this and I'm sick of his allegations," he says.

Schoepp contends Goben also spread false rumors that Schoepp was funding opponents of the Stoughton Road development three years ago. Schoepp Motors owns another used car lot at 2424 S. Stoughton Road, across from Goben's Madison site.

Goben's operations in Madison have been inconsistent at best. The dealer operated on the east side before relocating operations to Milwaukee in 2000. Goben operated two new car dealerships there but closed after just one year. He reopened a used car lot on Stoughton Road a few years ago.

Those issues aside, Goben maintains he is willing to work with the city of Middleton to improve the design of the new building.

"We want to make this work," he says.

Mustard Museum to Middleton?

The city of Middleton has met behind closed doors over the relocation of the Mustard Museum from Mount Horeb to the vacant Middleton Antiques Mall Building at the corner of Parmenter Street and Hubbard Avenue. Discussions also took place regarding public funding for the project.

Officials with the Plan Commission and Community Development Authority last week heard a presentation from museum curator Barry Levenson and his architect on the project. They then granted it conceptual approval.

Levenson, who opened the Mustard Museum in 1992, said any move wouldn't come until 2010. His current lease on Main Street runs through the end of next year.

"We could use some more space and better space," he admits. "A lot of towns have been dangling money at us. One even offered free rent."

But Levenson isn't willing to say the move will happen for sure.

"We're keeping our options open," he says.

The antiques mall, which closed in April, is near the Capital Brewery. Beer, pretzels, mustard. Ah, the synergy.

Verona trumps Madison

Another company has chosen to expand outside the city of Madison.

St. Louis-based SAFC, which purchased the former Tetrionics in 2004, is breaking ground in October on a new building at 1101 Kettle Moraine Trail in the Verona Technology Park.

The $30 million project will include a 45,000-square-foot manufacturing building. The company already operates a 63,000-square-foot building at 645 Science Drive in the University Research Park, which will continue to make pharmaceutical ingredients.

SAFC officials said they looked all over the Madison area but decided on the Verona Technology Park because the "infrastructure was in place."

Rachel Strauch-Nelson, spokesperson for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, said the city did work with SAFC in hopes it would locate a second facility in Madison but "unfortunately we weren't able to come to terms."

"They will keep their facility at University Research Park and although we'd like to see the second facility in Madison, it is good to see them stay in the region," she says.

Mike Ivey  —  9/17/2008 10:14 am