University Avenue redevelopment proceeds at lower density

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Successful redevelopment is often a balance of old and new interests, as evidenced by the revamped design for 2550 University Ave., now under construction in Madison.

The mixed-use development project features primarily residential space, with commercial space on the ground floor, said Susan Springman of Mullins Group LLC, the project’s developer.

The project varies in height, with three floors at the front of the property and areas that go up to six floors in the back, she said. Residential space will include a total of 132 studio, one- and two-bedroom units, in addition to 152 parking stalls, she said.  Initially, the project was proposed to be “quite a bit” taller and denser, she said, but area residents expressed concern. So, the project team worked with the surrounding neighborhood for more than a year to come up with a plan all parties could agree on, Springman said.

The revamped project is about 40 percent smaller than initially proposed, she said.

Another change from the initial plan came during the bidding process, said Geoffrey Vine, president of Stevens Construction Corp., Madison. The developers were seeking a steel frame as a cost-effective option, he said, but Stevens was able to provide a more solid concrete frame at a lower cost than steel.

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