New high rises at the forefront of Madisons summer renovations

Summer means construction season, and in downtown Madison, that meansnew housing and retail space that could lead to a different feel near campus.

Among the most significant additions to the State Street area is the development of the Hub, a new apartment and retail complex that Scott Stager, senior vice president of Property Management at Core Campus, said he hopes it will be the center of student life and community activity.

State Street is really the center of activity for shopping, dining and nightlife near campus. I cant think of a better location for a building to be located, right in the epicenter of it all, Stager said. With the 960 students we will have as residents, we are sure State Street businesses will really see a positive impact.

Stager said the building will include 313 housing units with more than 960 bed spaces. The building will also feature an amenity package that Stager said has never been seen before in Madison. This will include things like a rooftop sun deck with a resort style pool, a 20-foot LED outdoor television, a fitness center and study rooms. Stager said he hopes these amenities will help promote both academic achievement and a healthy social life for students living there.

Mary Carbine, Madisons executive director of the Business Improvement District, said she thinks the Hub will add a lot to the area, bringing people to the businesses in the Hub and to the existing local shops on State Street.

Stager said the Hub is going to be student friendly and will lease to anyone that meets their rental requirements. The primary targets for tenants, Stager said, are UW-Madison students and young, just-graduated professionals.

Stager said the building began construction in 2013 and will open in August of 2015.

Not everybody is fully supporting developments like the Hub. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said the displacement of smaller stores due to projects like the Hub is concerning for both city staff and nearby residents.

It is still somewhat bittersweet, perhaps sobering, that despite all the excitement over this new project, there will still be displacement of existing businesses. Verveer said.

The previous tenants worked with Core Campus to smooth out the relocation process, Verveer said.

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New high rises at the forefront of Madisons summer renovations