After being on hold for nearly three months, developers announced revised reconstruction plans for the 100 block of State Street at a press conference Friday.
Developers Pleasant Rowland and W. Jerome Frautschi, together with the Block 100 Foundation, submitted plans in October 2011 for a $10 million project to reconstruct the State Street area. The original proposal called for the demolition of five buildings, including the landmark Schubert, 120 W. Mifflin St., and Stark buildings, 122-124 W. Mifflin St.
The new plans include preserving the Stark and Schubert buildings and eliminating plans for an outdoor garden plaza at the corner of Mifflin and Fairchild streets, according to project manager George Austin.
The project cost will also increase by $1.2 million and will add an extra 11,257 square feet to the plans, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
In March, Austin said the Frautschis were prepared to abandon the project and sell the six properties if the Plan Commission did not accept key aspects of the proposal, which included demolishing the Stark building to allow for the garden plaza.
But preservationists did not want any of the six historic buildings demolished, and Landmarks Commission Chair Stuart Levitan even designed an additional reconstruction plan, which proposed moving the open plaza to the center of North Fairchild Street.
The revised proposal, which keeps the Stark and Schubert buildings intact, is a compromise between the Frautschis and the city planning and design commissions.
The new construction part of the project also includes reconstruction of the Hazwell building, 117-119 State St., and the Buell building, 121-123 State St., with a more modern design.
“While the tenor of some of the debate has disappointed us, we firmly maintain a hopeful outlook for Madison,” Austin said in a statement. “To this end, we have decided to continue with the project.”
Although the original plans proved controversial, Mayor Paul Soglin said he expects the revised proposal to receive approval.
“I’m very pleased with the new proposal,” Soglin said. “I think it will move forward quickly through the city review process.”
The Block 100 Foundation will hold an open house for the public to view the revised plans June 7 at the Overture Center for the Arts from 5:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Construction is expected to begin in the fall and end in 2014
