Madison is likely on its way to building a third State Street parking ramp. Now the main question is when.
City officials shot down a plan Wednesday night that called for a two-story structure at the intersection of Gorham and State Streets. The ramp, which would have replaced the metered Buckeye Lot, was part of Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's 2007 budget, but failed to survive the city council.
Plans for a third State Street ramp have circulated for more than a decade, as downtown businesses have pushed for increased shopping convenience.
Last year, the council voted against a proposed structure at the intersection of Gorham and Broom Streets.
Ald. Zach Brandon, District 7, voted against last year's ramp. Brandon, a staunch conservative on city spending, also gave the thumbs down to the mayor's ""double-decker"" lot, which would have cost the city $3 million.
""A two-story structure is just not a good land use,"" Brandon said.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, led the charge to reject the mayor's parking lot proposal. According to Verveer, a group of developers has already shown interest in the Buckeye Lot and wants to build a combination of stores and parking spaces on the site. The Buckeye Lot currently draws $150,000 in revenue from parking meters.
Verveer added that the developers' plans would likely include Pizzeria Uno, 222 W. Gorham St., but would leave surrounding apartment buildings intact.
City business leaders such as Susan Schmitz of Downtown Madison Inc., were vocal in their opposition to the two-story structure in recent weeks. In addition, neighborhood representatives argued the ramps would have been a detriment to the downtown area.
Although State Street is almost certain to have a third ramp at some point in the future, opponents of large-scale parking lots remain.
Ald. Robbie Webber, District 5, who represents the area just west of campus, called multi-level parking lots ""a horrible use of land.""
Rather than spending millions on a new ramp, Webber argued, the city should repair the two existing State Street lots, at Frances and Henry Streets.
However Webber, along with others opposed to the construction of new ramps, reluctantly joined Verveer in paving the way for a commercial structure.
""I just feel like I'm a little boxed in on my votes,"" she said, after voicing disapproval for the mayor's two-story plan.
The developers of the commercial structure, who have yet to make their plans public, will likely present blueprints to city committees in the coming weeks.
