The Common Council voted 12-7 to not grant an appeal to Steve Brown Apartments (SBA) on their plea of economic hardship in regards to their not being approved by the Land Marks Commission to build three five-story buildings one next to another where two historic ones and the 1968, Highlander now stand.
Alder Resnick, voted yes for the appeal as he said that the developer by not being granted the go ahead would continue to lose money on the highlander and the other two properties if the demolition and moving of one of the two historical houses were not replaced with the new developments. Alders Subek and Rummel, defined economic hardship as having no options left. And repeatedly asked the SBA team what are the options for upgrading the Highlander, including the 2nd floor elevator, and asked if they had looked into TIF funding toward improvements of the existing structures.
Alder Zellers repeated that the neglect of the 127 property was on the end of Steve Brown Apartments, the city inspector had detailed the problems to them since 2000, and economic loss was self created. For instance, a hole in the roof which has now made the property uninhabitable. I did hear from audience members in the gallery, that there is a pattern that needs to be connected between the neglect of 127 and the highlander, which is also in un-repair, and neglect, as intentional, and it was repeated throughout the night from many people that, demolation by neglect is often used as a way of clearing out a plot of new development. Zelder voted no, on economic hardship.
Michael May has some clarification of the recent zoning laws, the downtown plan, and the Land Mark Commission ordinances presented in their guide to property owners in that district. As even the Planning Staffer noted and many other there is confusion on how they relate with regard to height and volume of buildings as they relate to the historic districts in Madison. We see many of the proposed buildings throughout Madison and in many cities, they are not unique. To make this project a go in the historic Mansion Hill District of which 11% is owned by Steve Brown Apartments, will involve some rethinking and involves a few choices, all mentioned last night and at the Land Mark Commission meetings and more at the Urban Design Commission, which has yet to take this up, but Alder Schmidt who voted yes to the appeal, reminded us that this proposal is not finished here with the common council, he said that before the vote. Either way, Steve Brown needs to back to the drawing table.
