Proposed Edgewater project secures zoning change

(Rendering courtesy of city of Madison)

By Paul Snyder

The Madison Common Council, on a 13-7 vote Tuesday, approved a zoning change for the proposed $93 million redevelopment of the Edgewater Hotel.

The change alters the city’s setback standard by maintaining a commercial building’s setback from the waterfront when the building is expanded. According to current zoning, the minimum setback for an addition to a commercial building is based on the average setback of neighboring buildings.

Alderwoman Judy Compton said environmental groups’ concerns about changing the setback were overstated.

“We have 37 miles of lakefront property,” she said. “How much of that is commercial, four-tenths of a mile.”

Brookfield-based developer Hammes Co. is working on more detailed designs for the project, for which they proposed alterations to the city’s Urban Design Commission last week.

The new plan moves the proposed tower 15 feet to the east and includes new parking capacity.