FROM THE WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL–Monona is getting ready to begin its biggest development in 20 years; a riverfront project that will convert run-down or vacant buildings surrounded by unruly weeds to a park, shops, restaurants and apartments.
Galway Cos. will begin construction on the project in December, the first leg of a $36 million, 7½-acre project at Bridge Road and West Broadway that’s expected to be complete by early 2023. The redevelopment, called Yahara Commons, eventually will add valuable tax base to the city, which is landlocked by Madison on one side and Lake Monona on the other.
The first phase — scheduled to be completed by spring 2019 — will focus on the construction of a five-story, mixed-use building that will include 96 apartments, a large anchor restaurant, a coffee shop and several service-based retail shops, such as a wine store, said Galway’s principal, Steve Doran. Leases will be finalized in the coming months.
“The community has been buzzing” about the project, said Sonja Reichertz, Monona city planner and economic development director. There’s a demand for a “destination space” in Monona, where residents can grab a drink on the water or stop their bikes for a snack, since the Lake Loop path will be at the “doorstep” of the development, she said. There will also be a kayak launch for residents. Read the full article.
