A partially demolished building on West Wilson Street is the source of contention between a local developer and the city of Madison, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
Middleton developer Terrence Wall’s company, T. Wall Enterprises, bought the property at 131 W. Wilson St. in 2022 to develop The Moment Residences, and while demolition began at a 12-story building on the site, the three-level underground parking garage remains.
Wall said he was forced to delay demolishing the parking garage for safety reasons as he awaited city approval of the 15-story apartment building he plans to construct there.
The project received its last city department sign-off a few weeks ago. Wall said that once his company has a building permit, he plans to begin removing the old parking garage while simultaneously building the new one — an approach designed to prevent the walls of the foundation from collapsing.
Madison’s Building Inspection Division maintains, however, that the partial demolition has been in violation of city ordinances — which prohibit developers from idling demolition without city authorization — since late 2023.
The city began prosecuting Wall about one year ago for failing to finish razing the existing building. It said completing the demolition meant removing the parking garage and foundation, filling in the hole and cleaning up the property.
The city’s complaint said the maximum penalty is $1,000 per day of violation. The case remains unresolved.
