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Westmorland residents win battle with developers

Mike Ivey  —  8/06/2008 8:52 am

In a move that could impact future infill development in the city, neighbors in the Westmorland area have won a battle over locating the entrance to a new 100-unit apartment building.

For months, residents have been fighting the $20 million Phase 2 of Sequoya Commons, the ambitious redevelopment of the former Midvale Plaza shopping center into a mix of housing, retail and a new branch library.

The project from a group including businessman Jack Kelly and his son, Jerry, the professional golfer, is bringing high-density urban-style development to an area of single-family residences.

Much of the opposition has centered on the proposed entrance for the underground parking garage on Caromar Drive, a shady residential street of modest ranch homes.

But Monday night, residents were successful in getting the Madison Plan Commission to vote unanimously to move the entrance to Midvale Boulevard.

The decision went against the wishes of a development team headed by Joe Krupp and also conflicted with an opinion from city staff favoring a Caromar Drive entrance because it preserved more greenspace.

Krupp said changing the entrance to Midvale is problematic because of the slope of the building site. It would reduce the number of units and remove a rain garden that would capture stormwater from the four-story apartment building.

Monday night, Krupp also warned that forcing expensive changes at the last minute could jeopardize other redevelopment efforts. He noted the city has been encouraging higher density projects but said that comes with the trade-off of more traffic.

"To say, 'Sorry, you can't use residential streets' is not a good policy to be setting and is going to discourage future infill development," Krupp said.

Phase 1 at the corner of Midvale and Tokay boulevards on the city's near west side includes a new Sequoya branch library and 28,000 square feet of retail space, with 45 condominiums units on the upper floors. Phase 2 calls for 100 rental apartment units with 136 underground parking spaces and 10,650 square feet of retail space.

From the beginning, however, residents voiced concerns over traffic, parking and the changing nature of their neighborhood. Many already walk to the shopping center via Caromar, as do children attending nearby Midvale Elementary.

Commission members were swayed Monday night after delaying a final decision last month.

"It was time we made a decision," said far-east side Ald. Lauren Cnare, who made the motion to move the entrance to Midvale Boulevard.

"I think the neighbors did a fantastic job in presenting their argument," said commission member Michael Basford.

Midvale-area Ald. Tim Gruber sided with his constituents, although he acknowledged the difficulties it presents the development team.

"There are pros and cons to both options," said Gruber, who works at Midvale Elementary.

During the public hearing, Midvale resident Earl Reichel said that "infill does not mean overfill."

"The community has got to come before economics," said Reichel, who drew up sketches showing how a Midvale entrance could function.

"The entrance needs to be on Midvale for the safety of our seniors and our children," said Anna Strenski. "We need to keep Madison a pedestrian-friendly city."

A traffic study from the development team estimated the 100 apartment units would generate only 60 additional vehicle trips per day on Caromar Drive versus the existing one-story strip center.

City transportation planner Dan McCormick said Monday night that putting the entrance on Midvale wouldn't be overly problematic, even with vehicles potentially making U-turns at rush hour.

"There hasn't been a huge demonstrated crash problem there," he said.

The Common Council could overturn the Plan Commission recommendation for putting the entrance on Midvale Boulevard and moving the rain garden to the east side of the building. But the council has historically sided with the commission on zoning and land use matters.

Chazen Art Museum expansion 

Also Monday night the commission OK'd plans for a $9 million, 70,000 square foot expansion of the Chazen Museum of Art at 750 University Ave.

The project consists of a new four-story museum building linked to the existing Chazen via an enclosed bridge. The third-floor bridge will serve as an art gallery and span Murray Street, which is being converted into the east campus pedestrian mall.

The planned expansion would include gallery space, storage, study rooms, a 160-seat auditorium and a freight elevator for large art pieces.

Visitors would enter from University Avenue through a main lobby in the southwest corner of the new building.

Work is expected to begin in 2009 with an opening in February 2011. The site is the former A.W. Peterson office building that is being demolished.

Mike Ivey  —  8/06/2008 8:52 am