State Street
100 block of State St.
Madison philanthropists Jerry Frautschi and Pleasant Rowland have been buying properties on the 100 block of State Street since 2002. The properties have been acquired through a surrogate, Central Focus LLC owned by local developer Martin Rifken. The properties have now been placed under the Block 100 Foundation, sponsored and funded by Frautschi and Rowland. The Foundation has proposed a project that includes inappropriate treatment of six historic buildings. The project would erode the historic fabric that gives the State St. district its irreplaceable character, and makes it so attractive to residents and visitors. Rehabilitating the existing buildings – making the Fairchild facades more attractive and creating cool urban spaces – would retain the authenticity of the district, extend the vintage character down Fairchild to the emerging cultural node at Mifflin and Fairchild, and care for Madison’s heritage as expressed in our built environment.
Plan of 100 block. Yellow buildings would be fully or partially demolished
The Proposal
The Block 100 Foundation has proposed a project that would demolish three historic buildings (including one designated Landmark), and reconstruct others leaving only facades intact. [for current and historic photos see our State Street Gallery and our Facebook page ]
Under the plan:
- The Haswell Furniture building (#1) would be demolished and replaced with new construction.
- The Buell building (#2) would be rebuilt with an added story on top and set back 4 feet. Much of the facade of the building would be retained.
- The Castle & Doyle building (#3) would be mostly retained, repaired and renovated.
- The Franz Vallander building (#4) would be demolished and reconstructed in a similar style using all new materials.
- The Andrew Schubert building (#5 on the map), a designated Landmark at 122 W. Mifflin St. would be completely demolished and replaced by new contemporary construction.
- The Stark Realty Co. building (#6), a handsome and sturdy building holding the corner of Mifflin and Fairchild would be completely demolished and replaced by contemporary construction with a private outdoor seating area at the corner.
A sleek, contemporary glass and stone building would be built on the Fairchild side of the block facing Overture Center and replacing two of the buildings that face State St. (#1, 2). The prominent feature would a curving window wall embracing an outdoor seating area for a restaurant that would occupy the ground floor. New spaces for offices would be built above. The project would result in a net loss of about 12,000 square feet of space (about 2,500 of that is basement space in the old buildings).
Why is this block important?
State Street is our historic downtown commercial district. Most cities have these, and many successful downtowns across the country use them to their great advantage (see our post for a gallery of examples). People are attracted to these places in for reasons they are not attracted to suburban shopping malls, office parks, and big box stores. They were designed to be beautiful and walkable. They convey an enriched public space designed to attract shoppers at a time before they came in automobiles. And they still work very well in that regard. They provide small affordable spaces for local businesses. These features of the State St. district are what makes it so attractive for residents and visitors.
Fairchild St. - Historic buildings could be rehabilitated into hip urban spaces.
The 100 block of State St. is the most important block of the State St. district. It’s an entire block of vintage buildings from the 19th and 20th century that still serve their original purpose very well. It is the most intact block of historic buildings in the district, and as the transition zone between the Capitol Square and State St. it sets the tone for the entire district. The State St. district has been determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places because it has integrity as a historic commercial district.
Green?
The proposal would includes “green” aspects – green roofs, energy-efficient materials and lighting, and LEED certification. But this is a greenwash when you consider the energy it takes to demolish six existing buildings, the additional debris in the landfill (transported in big diesel trucks), the energy it takes to extract, refine, and manufacture the materials for the new construction, and the energy it takes to actually construct the building, these measures are simply a greenwash. Adapting existing buildings to contemporary uses is decidedly more “green.” It can be done to LEED standards, and it can be done in attractive ways. The LEED program has standards for existing buildings. Demolishing and rebuilding is an unimaginative approach to a block of historic buildings.
Jobs?
The existing buildings on the 100 block should be attractively rehabilitated. The Stark Co. building (above) on the corner of Fairchild and Mifflin is a handsome and sturdy building with potential for rooftop dining or green roof. --- credit: Danforth Illustration
The team also claimed that the project would create about 75 jobs. If the proposed budget of $10 million were used for rehabilitation of the existing buildings they would create more jobs than with new construction. Rehabilitation projects create more jobs per million dollars of investment than new construction because they are more labor-intensive where new construction is more material-intensive.
What would be better?
Reorient the proposed investment toward rehabilitation of the historic buildings on the block.
Redesign the unattractive rear sides so the are attractive front sides. Use the ground-floor space in the 2-story building on the Fairchild-Mifflin corner, with its large sidewalk windows for the planned restaurant directly across Fairchild from the Overture Center.
Retain the integrity of the historic buildings and extend the historic character of the district down Fairchild St. to be a part of the emerging cultural node at the intersection with Mifflin St. Culture is not just operas, libraries, and museums. It includes history and architecture.
Be Greener.
Create more local jobs.
Keep State Street Real and create hip vintage urban spaces adjacent to and supporting the Overture Center.