The former Madison Gospel Tabernacle will undergo a $3 million conversion to become the city’s next live music venue, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The 10,000-square-foot church, founded in 1932 at 1925 Winnebago St., will soon be transformed into Atwood Music Hall by the Christensen Co., led by the Bur Oak co-owner Toffer Christensen.
The company purchased the building with plans to remodel and begin hosting shows by early 2025. The venue will have a capacity of 400–700 people, depending on seating arrangements for the crowd. In addition to live music, the facility will host weddings and special events.
Christensen secured a $1.8 million loan from Lake Ridge Bank, a $200,000 loan from the Madison Development Corp., a $350,000 loan from the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp., and $500,000 from investors. The city could also provide a $125,000, no-interest loan for five years through its Small Cap TIF loan program.
Christensen’s proposal is currently awaiting city approvals and could be finalized as soon as June.
