Madison’s historic water pumping stations have long stood as quiet symbols of civic pride and progressive design. In this month’s Advocacy News, John Rolling explores the origins, architecture and uncertain future of these distinctive neighborhood buildings, from early 20th-century Prairie-style structures to the last remaining midcentury wellhouse on Whitney Way. As preservation and modernization interests meet, Madison faces important decisions about how best to honor its municipal heritage.

The 400 block of West Gilman Street is facing intense development pressure, with two large-scale student housing projects proposed on either side of the street. These projects threaten several historic properties, including the locally landmarked Grimm Book Bindery and the former University Hotel (The Arlington). The proposed 15- and 16-story buildings risk overwhelming the pedestrian character of this historic block. Madison Trust urges members to speak up for thoughtful development that respects the area’s architectural heritage and human scale.

While certain changes made to Madison landmarks over the past five years have been hard for me to swallow, the first segment of this Opinion piece will focus on a project that, from my perspective, hits a home run. The Landmarks Commission recently granted a Certificate of Approval to demolish an unsympathetic 1950s lakeside addition to the Sauthoff House at 739 Jenifer St.,and replace it will a highly complementary and contemporary addition. Check out what I consider to be a thoughtful and sympathetic result.

Our latest blog post wraps up a three-part series exploring Madison's concrete block homes, this time focusing on the post-World War II era. From modest Ranches to Usonian gems and bold Contemporary designs, these houses reveal how visible concrete block structures helped shape mid-century residential architecture. Learn how builders balanced form and function, and how these enduring materials continue to tell stories of innovation, aesthetics, and changing tastes.

This month’s blog post continues our exploration of early concrete block construction in Madison. As block design shifted from rough rockface to smooth modern surfaces, a new generation of houses emerged. Many reflecting the clean lines and bold geometry of the International Style. Highlights include striking examples from Monona’s Frost Woods, Shorewood Hills, and Madison’s Crestwood neighborhood, which would soon become home to the city’s largest collection of concrete block modernist homes.

There are times we must re-imagine a familiar place that can no longer be seen. That happens when we conjure up a demolished building, perhaps as we drive by a construction site in Madison and have only a vague memory of what was recently removed. The rustiness of our memory varies from person to person, depending on the building itself, the site, and its context, as well as its connection to our own lives and its role in the community.