The Mullins Group, together with Core Campus of Chicago, is proposing a redevelopment of the 500 block of State Street that would demolish the 1950s-built University Inn and two other buildings to make way for a 12-story building that would house retail, offices, upscale rental housing, and parking. Cost is still undetermined.
Fronting State Street, the building would have a low profile to keep with the neighborhood flavor, but it would rise to 12 stories at the back. It would include up to 300 apartments, 30,000 sq. ft. of retail, and a 150- to 200-space above-ground parking structure in the center that would be hidden from the street. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and other local officials are excited about preliminary plans, according to a report in the Wisconsin State Journal, though the project could replace several existing restaurants on the iconic street.
The developers are submitting a notice for the demolitions and have a neighborhood meeting scheduled for 7 p.m., April 29 at the Pyle Center. Presentations to the Urban Design Commission are scheduled for May 8 and May 22. If the project gains full approval, construction could start in 2014 with a 2015 completion date.
