A city committee approved a proposal to develop University Square into a 12-story mixed-use facility Monday, and rejected a proposal for another large building on West Washington Avenue.
The Plan Commission gave unanimous approval to the proposed complex at the current University Square site, which will include 430 dwelling units and space for retail, an activity center, office space and a health center.
Meanwhile, the commission unanimously rejected a plan for an eight-story mixed-use condominium complex at 425 W. Washington.
As they examined the Washington proposal, the commission heard testimony from developers and residents of the surrounding neighborhood. Their rejection of the proposed structure was made on grounds that the project would violate the preexisting neighborhood plans and it lacked resident support.
'The development should be in scale and character with the rest of the neighborhood, as most of the houses are two to three stories,' said Bassett Neighborhood Committee chair Peter Oslind.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, also voiced opposition to the project.
'The project is a meritorious one, but it is the wrong location for something this huge,' Verveer said. Commission members James Boll and Sarah Davis agreed. Both supported the building concept but said it should be located someplace else.
The design featured underground parking, two stories of fitness space including a basketball court and swimming pool, one floor for medical services and four levels of apartments, each with decks or patios and a rooftop terrace garden which would be heavily planted and used as a pilot water conservation system.
'The rooftop garden will trap 95 percent of rain water that we can use again,' architect John Sutton said.
The goal of the complex was to be environmentally friendly, according to Sutton. It would be made with as much recycled material as possible, and it would offer educational programs called 'green leases' for residents.
'The complex will give people the option to take regular showers or showers that conserve water. It will also give people the option to power the television with their workout machine, rather than electricity,' Madison Environmental Group consultant Sonya Newenhouse said.
