By any measure, Madison is getting taller

Theres little doubt about the tallest building in Madison.

Its the State Capitol, of course, which measures 284 feet from the ground to the top of Wisconsin, the Golden Lady statue that sits atop the marble dome.

But after that, things get a little more complicated.

At 19 stories, Van Hise Hall on the UW-Madison campus is generally considered the second tallest building in Madison. Completed in 1966, it offers stunning views of the surrounding city and lakes.

Based on UW building plans, Van Hise is 241 feet tall counting its rooftop mechanical penthouse. Thats the term for a top portion dedicated to elevator equipment, electronics, heating/cooling or other systems of a building.

But rooftop equipment is often excluded from building height measurements. And some buildings like the Churchill Building at 16 N. Carroll St. have seen additions that were overlooked in some accounts.

Those are some of the issues I ran into when trying to put together a list of Madisons tallest buildings.We ran a list in The Capital Times last month but heard from readers that we were missing several buildings, especially some on the UW campus.

Wikipedia and Emporis, which tracks global building data, both offer lists of the tallest buildings in Madison. But neither is complete or totally accurate.

So consider this an attempt at a more comprehensive list.

(*Recorded height refers to historic reports, building records, interviews and data from Emporis, a leading provider of building information and construction projects. Pictometry height refers to measurements made using a geographic information system (GIS). It captures any structure on top of a building including antennas, satellite dishes or mechanical equipment.)

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By any measure, Madison is getting taller