Madison’s Landmarks Commission voted to recommend landmark status to two historic downtown buildings Monday, while three additional buildings will be considered at a future public hearing.
Madison’s City Council will make the final decision whether the Schubert Building, 120 W. Mifflin St., and the Doris House, 603-605 W. Main St., will become historical landmarks based on the commission’s recommendation.
The Schubert Building, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year, was once home to the Silver Dollar Saloon and Restaurant and later Badger Office Supplies, two of the city’s oldest businesses.
Preliminary consideration for landmark status of three buildings on North Pinckney Street caused debate at the meeting.
Carolyn Freiwald of the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation said the buildings make up one of the city’s few remaining historically commercial blocks.
“When people think of Madison’s downtown, they go to the Capitol [and] this is the block they see,” Freiwald said.
Urban Land Interests is currently working on a proposal involving the north Pinckney street block near the Capitol. Tom Neujahr, a ULI principal, urged the commission to delay a public hearing on the buildings until more details of the proposal are clear.
If a building receives landmark status, the Landmarks Committee has the authority to approve or deny demolition, according to Madison Preservation Planner Katherine Rankin. Neujahr said that designating a structure as a landmark makes it more difficult to instigate redevelopment plans.
According to Neujahr, sparse parking and lack of handicap accessibility are just some of the block’s weaknesses. He expects ULI’s proposal to be presentable to the City Council in three to four months.
Sonya Newenhouse, owner of the Winterbotham Building at 27 N. Pinckney St., one of the three buildings in consideration for landmark status, said she felt more confident about a decision being made regarding her building after hearing the effects of ULI’s proposal.
“I would appreciate having this conversation in the context of the whole development,” Newenhouse said.
The commission voted to advance the consideration of the North Pinckney buildings to a public hearing in 45 days with the possibility of recessing the hearing to a later date if necessary.
