The UW-Madison Real Estate Department held a listening session Thursday to allow students and community members a chance to view the latest Edgewater Hotel redesign plans.
Bob Dunn, president of hotel developer Hammes Co., stressed the benefits he felt the Edgewater redesign would bring to Madison. Dunn said the project has evolved over many months and emphasized the importance of educating the community on the project.
According to Dunn, the major alterations to the original plan include lowering the tower by three floors and adding tiered elevation to the terrace. He said the new plan would not impact the view of the Capitol from the lake.
Dunn said Madison needs a destination hotel to draw tourists to the city. The Edgewater would be a hotel that would generate demand in leisure activity for those coming to Madison for a weekend stay, he said.
""We do not have a destination hotel on par with other great cities around the country and around the world,"" Dunn said. ""All studies indicate we need more and better quality rooms in our downtown. There is not a hotel that is distinctive and plays up the character of downtown.""
According to Dunn, the Edgewater project would bring over 800 jobs during its construction and 400 jobs once the project is complete. Dunn addressed the concern that the jobs created would not be worthwhile.
""I'm not sure we should be differentiating between good jobs and bad jobs. It seems to me that a job is a job today,"" he said.
Fred Mohs, a member of the Mansion Hill Association, said he opposed the Edgewater redesign because it is out of proportion with the smaller structures in the historic Mansion Hill neighborhood.
He said the design ignores zoning regulation, is two times too tall and is set too close to the lake. The MHA presented a 3-D model to illustrate its points.
Dunn said the Edgewater is a large project and that ""stirs emotion"" in the community. He said it is important to focus on the facts of the plan and work toward something great.
