Mifflin neighborhood members and current residents of the Dayton Square apartments expressed concerns about a proposed housing development in the area, but the overall attitude was accepting at an open-forum meeting Wednesday evening.
The new development would require the demolition of three current residential properties at 415 W. Johnson St., 226 N. Broom St., and 424 W. Dayton St, according to Madison architectural firm Potter Lawson President Eric Lawson.
The project would create a 319 unit apartment complex geared towards young professionals and students consisting of 34 studio, 211 one bedroom and 74 two bedroom apartments, according to Lawson.
In addition, Lawson said the building would have laundry on every floor, a common courtyard with an outdoor swimming pool on the lobby level and underground parking for cars, bikes and mopeds.
Sam Seering, a recent UW-Madison graduate currently living in one of the buildings that would be demolished, said he liked the plan but had some concerns about higher rental rates.
“The thing that really attracted me to the Dayton apartments when I first moved there was the affordable rent because there aren’t many apartment complexes downtown anymore that have affordable housing for students and young professionals,” Seering said.
Lawson said developers have not yet been able to come up with rent prices, but they should be competitive with other new apartment developments in the area.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he is highly supportive of the proposed development plan.
“The current buildings are not very attractive visually, and have parking lots in front of both Dayton and on Johnson which is, in hindsight, a very poor design,” Verveer said. “Conceptually I am very supportive and generally that’s what I heard from the feedback tonight, but there are certainly some details that need to be worked out.”
The proposal will be presented to the Urban Design Commission on Feb. 20, the Plan Commission on March 4 and Common Council on March 19 and will have to be approved by all three before further progress can be made.
