May 16, 2021, 10:10 p.m.
Adam Duxter
Posted: May 16, 2021 at 10:10 pm
MADISON, Wisconsin – As the proposal to build an 18-story residential complex next to John Nolan Drive and the Alliant Energy Center becomes a reality, the future of Madison’s ‘Wonder Bar’ looks grim.
The proposal, which is to create 291 residential units, several floors for 12,500 square meters of commercial space and offices as well as a three-story parking garage, is to lay the foundation stone for an opening in 2023 in September.
“It’s a balance, ”said Bob Klebba of the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation. “Historical preservation and redevelopment are almost always at odds, especially in situations like State Street or Langdon Street or here on this property where the Wonder Bar is.”
Preservers like Klebba or Kurt Stege, President of the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation, say the story behind the Wonder Bar is worth saving.
“This place was built in 1930. It was built by a man who had a number of brothers who were in the crowd – were gangsters in the Chicago Area, ”said Stege. “It was during the (Al) Capone era. They were seen as competitors …You can walk past it, you can drive past it, and if you know the story, if you know the context, it will come out and you will remember it. It brings you back and connects you to another era. “
In the past few days, however, Klebba and Stege have learned that there is a way to save the building, but it won’t be easy.
“The building can be lifted and moved, ”said Klebba. “But that’s not the problem. The bigger problem on this site is finding a landing place for it. “
Klebba ideally says they want to keep the building within a mile of its current location.
“It’s not about the willingness of the developer and the neighborhood to preserve it, it’s really about open spaces, ”said Klebba. “And there is less and less open space in Madison these days.”
Moving the building again would require more resources and significantly reduce costs. Klebba says while they don’t have a set deadline to find a new home, it would likely need to be consolidated sometime in the next few months.
Both men hope for a solution that can preserve the unique history of the building itself. “
“There are things all over town that remind me of important things, ”said Stege. “Here that connects you with the ban.”
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