A city planning committee unanimously approved a local religious group’s application Monday to convert a former fraternity house on campus into an apartment complex and meeting center.
Madison’s Plan Commission granted the Jewish Experience of Madison group a permit to begin construction to turn the former Zeta Beta Tau fraternity house, located at 233 Langdon St., into a comprehensive community space containing 12 residency units, as well as offices and an activity center.
JEM’s founder and Executive Director Yerachmiel Anton, working with architect Jim Klett, applied to the city for permission to redesign both the interior and exterior of the structure and said the commission’s approval is an important step in the $900,000 project proposal.
“We’re making progress,” Anton, who goes by the name “Rabbi Rocky,” said. “We see this as very positive.”
Rabbi Rocky said JEM bought the building from Cardinal Group properties, which had previously rented it to Madison’s Zeta Beta Tau chapter, in August 2012.
According to the design plans, the first floor will be reconstructed to accommodate one living unit, a new office space and a program area for JEM to host events.
The second and third floors will contain 11 additional housing units, with four geared toward JEM staff members that will include full kitchens and baths. Seven will be “efficiency units,” all of which will have remodeled kitchens and private bathroom facilities, which Rabbi Rocky said will be rented out on a first come, first serve basis and will not necessarily be inhabited exclusively by JEM students.
“It’s a desirable area, and they’ll be nice apartments,” he said. “Our interest is to occupy them so that we have the income, so if we don’t have JEM students, we’ll certainly rent them to other people.”
Outside alterations will include adding a ramp with access to the first floor, replacing all of the windows and repairing the outside building materials and concrete terraces.
Construction is scheduled to begin April 1 and be completed by Aug. 15.
JEM still needs to obtain building permits and bank approval before continuing with the renovations, but Rabbi Rocky said the future of the project is promising.
“I feel a bit of a victory, a bit of a triumph here,” he said. “We’ve seen some miracles so far, and we still need a few more to happen.”
