Commission okays Wilson Street high-rise

Despite an effort to purchase the property at 149 E. Wilson St., residents of the Marina condominiums were disappointed when, in a unanimous decision, the Madison Plan Commission approved plans for a major apartment project along the Lake Monona shore. A residents group had hoped to purchase the property and donate it to the city for a park that would allow access to John Nolen Drive, but the Plan Commission did not discuss that option.

The McGrath Property Group has proposed a $20 million, 14-story structure that would be sandwiched between two existing condo buildings, the Marina and Union Transfer, and neighbors in those buildings have vowed to file a protest petition with the city, claiming they were underrepresented in the decision.

McGrath scaled the project down from 127 to 121 apartments and reduced the size of the building on the top three floors to allow for more space between buildings. The company also agreed to widen the driveway between the project and the Marina by one foot and to limit food and beverage establishments in the new building’s 91,000 sq. ft. of commercial space.

According to reports, the McGrath project would generate about $400,000 in property tax revenue, and rents would range from $1,000 to $3,000 per month.

The discussion now heads to the City Council.