The Madison City Council approved rezoning some property Tuesday for two redevelopment projects on the block of North Butler Street and North Hancock Street and another on North Hamilton Street.
Cliff Fisher Development, along with Butler and Hancock Street neighbors and area representatives, created a proposal to demolish two houses and three garages, remove one house and build a four-story apartment building.
The project on North Hamilton Street, proposed by the McBride Companies, seeks to demolish six buildings in order to build a 70-unit apartment complex.
Ald. Judy Compton, District 16, voted in support of the projects, noting that many of the properties have deteriorated to the point where maintenance is impossible without redevelopment.
This is one of the areas I feel has the most waste and I really want to see it come back to life,"" Compton said.
James McFadden, an agent with Cliff Fisher Development, said both he and his wife lived in the neighborhood when they were in college. Today, he said, high-rise apartment complexes are pulling students away from the area, increasing vacancies and lowering rents in the area.
Some residents opposed the developments, fearing that new buildings would discourage low-income residents from moving into the area. But Erik Minton, who has lived on North Butler Street for 15 years and runs several businesses in the vicinity, said the majority of his neighbors are enthusiastic about the developments.
""There is overwhelming support from our neighborhood for this project,"" Minton said, noting that struggling area businesses would benefit from a neighborhood revival.
Developers have been in close contact with residents to bolster community support for the projects, which are expected to be complete by the end of 2008.
