Reinaldo Imanto, manager of Pochi Cafe in University Square, opened his restaurant in 2002 knowing UW-Madison administrators planned to demolish the Square and rebuild it to include University Health Services, Student Organization Offices and university housing.
A year later, Mr. Imanto still does not know when he will have to relocate for the year and a half construction project.
\I really don't know what's going to happen,"" he said. ""We'll get a six month's notice before construction begins.""
Since 2001, Associated Students of Madison has been trying to get approval for a building that would house a clinic, university housing, and offices of approximately 100 UW-Madison student organizations.
""It's going to be a pretty multi-use building,"" said Michael Williams, chair of the project's ASM subcommittee.
According to Alan Fish of UW Facilities Planning and Management, UHS and ASM decided Tuesday to submit a request to the state to begin construction in 2005-'07. He also said construction should be done by 2008.
Williams said they will submit the proposal to the Campus Planning Commission in November and then to the state.
""The students are paying $17 million for ... the student activity center, but most of the money is going to be coming from the state,"" Williams said.
Although there will be a retail portion of the complex, businesses will have to close or relocate until construction is completed.
An employee of Caspian Cafe and Catering said the restaurant would be unable to relocate should construction begin, forcing them to close for a year and a half after 12 years of business.
Moe Gray, manager of The Den, said his business will start planning relocation if construction starts in 2005.
""We will not buy as much stuff and we will transfer stuff to the State Street store,"" he said. ""We will try another downtown location. There is nothing firm yet ... But I'll lose my job.""
Williams said it is critical that the state provide funding for the 2005-'07 biennium because this is the third time they have requested the money.
""I think it's a little firmer planning than we've had in the past,"" Fish said.
