Council says former credit union building facing demolition is not a landmark

In spite of a unanimous recommendation from the city’s Landmark Commission to designate the Filene House near Tenney Park as a landmark, the Madison City Council has — for now — declined to give the building the special status, paving the way for it to be demolished and replaced with a new development, according to a report from the Wisconsin State Journal.

The two-story building at 1617 W. Sherman Ave. once housed the first permanent location of the Credit Union National Association and was dedicated by President Harry Truman in 1950. The council opted to put the landmark designation on file, which means it could be reconsidered at a later date.

Vermilion Development, based in Chicago, has proposed a five-building apartment complex with 331 housing units on the 8.2-acre site at 1601 and 1617 W. Sherman Ave. that includes the Filene House.