The city's Urban Design Commission voted Wednesday to delay approval of plans for a Hyatt Place Hotel near Capitol Square until a later meeting.
The proposed hotel location is at 333 W. Washington Ave.
Nathan Novak of Hyatt's design firm JJR, first presented designs for the hotel first before the UDC in July 2007. Since then, the proposal has undergone many changes at the request of the Commission to widen sidewalks, provide parking for bicycles and add windows for more aesthetic appeal.
Madison resident Rosemary Lee spoke at the meeting in support of the hotel development.
I think downtown and its economic vitality depend on more hotel rooms,"" Lee said.
""If we're going to revitalize downtown and keep it economically chugging along, this is a first-class operation.""
The Commission expressed concerns for the sidewalks and traffic circulation on the property and ultimately decided input from the city's Traffic Engineering Department would be necessary for approval. Novak said a scheduled meeting with Traffic Engineering Thursday would help the project solve conflicts in the current design.
City Council President Mike Verveer agreed the current proposal lacked adequate street considerations to meet approval Wednesday.
""It would be nice if we could have a more appropriate resolution to the traffic issues,"" Verveer said.
