The Madison Planning Commission unanimously approved Monday the building of a new apartment near the Capitol on Dayton Street.
According to City Council President Mike Verveer, the new apartment building will be constructed just off Capitol Square at 22 E. Dayton St. Scott Lewis, the developer of the project, plans to start building this summer and have it ready by August 2008 in time for fall rental.
The apartment will be a five-story building and contain 48 separate dwellings. The project still needs final approval from the City Council, but Verveer said little opposition is expected because the building is part of a ""total block project.""
An old house currently stands in the midst of the anticipated project. Verveer said the home was not demolished, but rather displaced at a location not far from East Dayton Street.
Verveer said developers are planning to target non-students, but noted that due to the dense student population in the area, it would most likely rouse students looking to move to a central downtown area.
""I would think that there would be students living there,"" Verveer said, adding that students cannot be discriminated against because of their ""student status.""
