Do NOT Approve a 10-story Highrise in Our Neighborhood

SIGN THE PETITION: Do NOT approve a 10-story highrise in our neighborhood!

Dear neighbor in the James Madison Park and adjacent Neighborhoods:

LZ Ventures wants to tear down buildings on East Washington Ave between N Franklin St and N Hancock St to build a 10-story luxury apartment building. This massive highrise would tower over our neighborhood, casting its shadow on nearby houses and apartments for much of the year.

This proposed development is up for FINAL REVIEW at the July 1 Urban Design Commission meeting and the July 13 Plan Commission meeting. At a recent City of Madison Urban Design Commission meeting, this development was called "the first domino to fall," meaning: If approved, it will be a green light to build 10-story buildings on every block of East Washington eliminating affordable housing, destroying community character, and leaving us in the dark. 

Many people living in the James Madison Park neighborhood have never had a chance to weigh in on how our neighborhood should be developed - or even if it should be redeveloped. We need city officials to reconsider not just whether new developments should be 8 stories or 10; we need them to reconsider rezoning our neighborhood to allow developments that seamlessly merge with the  scale of our community.

The fact that this proposed development is being pushed through during a public health emergency has further prevented our community from having a say.

This area is a vibrant, attractive, human-scale neighborhood with many affordable housing options. The city needs to hear us before making an irreversible decision that will have negative impacts on our neighborhood.

Let both Commissions hear loud and clear: Do NOT approve a 10-story highrise at 414 East Washington Ave, and take the neighborhood plans back to the drawing board!

Sign the petition to tell the City of Madison: Do NOT approve a 10-story highrise in our neighborhood!

Want to do more? You can 

1. Attend the Urban Design Commission Zoom meeting on July 1st agenda item #11 and Plan Commision Zoom meeting on July 8th agenda #9 (find at https://madison.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx) 
2. Send written comments by email to the Urban Design Commission and Plan Commission before the meetings via Tim Parks tparks@cityofmadison.com
3. Please register for the July 1 and July 13 meetings and let them know you are against the proposal. You can register as against the proposal without speaking, or you can speak if you want. 
4. Contact your Alder Person Patrick Heck district2@cityofmadison.com
5. Contact the CNI (Capitol Neighborhoods) President Eli Judge: president@capitolneighborhoods.org
6. Get involved with the effort to protect our neighborhood by contacting avalon.cooperative.house@gmail.com

The City of Madison Legistar Link with more photos of proposal, comments from the UDC & neighbors

https://madison.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4297704&GUID=086710FC-0FDC-426A-8B78-FA3CD7156C78&Options=&Search=

July 1 Urban Design Commission meeting: https://www.cityofmadison.com/clerk/meeting-schedule/urban-design-commission-85