As a State Journal editorial pointed out several days ago, Madison is getting bombarded with hotel offers from a variety of developers.
Two, Apex Enterprises and Marcus Corp., are competing to build a $100 million hotel complex on Monona Terrace. Apex proposes supplementing that plan with a grocery store, restaurants and a wharf. Most importantly, both are interesting in putting in a skywalk to connect to the terrace. Skywalk!
A new Hyatt Hotel is moving in on West Washington next year, and Fiore Company would like to build a hotel if the city goes ahead with its plan to move the library.
But all we’re talking about in Madison is the Hammes Co.’s proposed development of the Edgewater Hotel. The Edgewater has become somewhat of a landmark in Madison – its hosted many a cocktail parties for the city’s upper crust for more than half a century. The chief concern it seems comes from Capitol Neighborhoods Inc. members, many of whom live in the area and worry that the new development could sully the neighborhood and the view of the lake.
Nevertheless, the plan seems poised to go through. Both the State Journal and the Cap Times have endorsed the plan – $107 million is tough to turn down in a recession. Although opposition to CNI is not as strong off campus as we students may believe, it has nevertheless been weakened by the formation of two rival groups, the Langdon-State Neighborhood Association, and the Mansion Hill Coalition, both of which support the development plan. Practically high-profile every decision CNI makes involves supporting a measure that will stymie business in the area. It was a staunch supporter of the alcohol density plan, which limits the number of bars in the downtown area. People have alleged that the organization is uncooperative and interested in promoting the interests of grumpy older people who are unhappy living in a student town.
Todd Stevens wrote a good piece in the Cardinal a couple weeks back, and gave good reasons to be skeptical of the plan.
While Hammes will be spending $107 million on the Edgewater, they are asking the city to fund a significant chuck of that, possibly as much as $15 million. With that sort of investment, Madison better be guaranteed some immediate results, particularly in the creation of construction jobs. But Hammes won’t even promise to use local workers, and instead may end up trucking in cheap labor from out of state.
But what about these other plans? Where’s the dialogue on those? Will there be similar complaints by neighborhood groups – perhaps environmental concerns. Our lakes are justly considered touchy ecological issues.
Tags: Capitol Neighborhoods Inc., Edgewater, Madison development, Monona Terrace
