The future face of Madison could include a new affordable housing unit on the 400 block of West Mifflin Street, aesthetically pleasing elements for a new dorm and a 200-stall public-pool parking lot according to proposals from the Urban Design Committee Wednesday night.
Madison Development Corporation, a non-profit organization, ended the evening discussing a primarily affordable housing unit to take the place of the two houses that sit on 437 and 441 W. Mifflin St. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said the unit is very controversial because it is an extremely large structure that will leave no room for any green space.
\We need them to go back to the drawing board and address some of the concerns we have with the project,"" he said. ""This unit is not keeping with the character of Mifflin.""
MDC did not receive a formal vote on the project but Verveer said the meeting was still worthwhile.
""They [MDC] were here simply because this was a big project that is very controversial,"" Verveer said. ""There really wasn't as much feedback as I wish there would've been.""
Verveer said he would like to hear more neighborhood feedback at community meetings because demolishing houses on two historical blocks is a ""big deal.""
The UDC also addressed how the new dorm on the corner of Park and West Dayton Streets would look from the road.
To address these concerns the designers of the dorm, Uihlein/Wilson Architects and Booth Hansen, proposed a broad walkway for pedestrians, two stone gate pillars, and garden steps. Joel Wilson of Uihlein/Wilson also introduced placing sloped planters, and planting trees, such as evergreens, to both block the wind from the dorm in the winter and to make the building look more attractive. The architects assured the UDC the design of the dorm would ""match other Park Street developments.""
A 200-stall parking lot instead of the original 300-stall lot for Madison's first public pool was also proposed. The reduction in the capacity of the parking area resulted from the assumption that citizens of Madison enjoy walking and biking over driving.
