Grandview Commons-Development Issues

[JoshB]

It's been approved!

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/loc...871e3ce6c.html

[gold*dust1]

City Council approves contentious Grandview Commons grocery store

No it didn't pass until the early wee hours of the 21st. The City Council was in debates from 7 pm 3/20 until 4 am 3/21 and it was shown live on channel 994. Many people were for the project it's just that the opposition got more publicity and many pro people remained silent. It was very close - one more no vote and it would have sunk and Copps probably would have backed away from the whole thing as well as Veridian going ahead and putting up mega apts. after 2 years of battle.

I'm only sorry it couldn't have stayed as big as Copps originally wanted but they have compromised. Now it goes to SIP stage. Hopefully with this anchor it will push the approved library into action despite the bad economic times and the downtown library rehab.

[Chelito23]

I don't get why there is all this hoop jumping in Madison for develoment. Why is it committee after committee approving and adding ammendments? You rarely see this kind of scrutiny anywhere else much less for all the minutia. And when it comes down to it, most of Madison is run of the mill archituecture, planning, etc. It isn't like something incredibly rare or historic is being preserved. It seems over the top to me.

Anyways, someone, somewhere mentioned that the scale of these new urbanism develpments in Madison are simply too small to support the kind of commericial activity proposed. Which again, goes back to bigger projects not being proposed. Everyone chiming in bout appropriateness when they really have no professional basis to do so. Then these projects just don't evolve they way people "force" them to. It is very odd and off putting. And I really don't think Copp's intention was to ever put up an atrociously ugly big box, so I don't know that after all this drama that there was much of a difference other than everyone else and their mother gave lip service type input.

[gold*dust1]

^^ You raise some interesting points there and I agree with your view of the architecture and just exactly what is all the fuss about and how the hell could the city council spend hours debating something that was on the table for 2 years but as you know Madison is known for that.

The real clincher in the GV store is that the opposition got 2 petitions going that hasn't been done if ever and slowed things down and required more scrutinizing and more of a majority vote than it normally would have been. They tied up the process (even though almost all agreed a 25,000 sq feet store was just dandy) but ultimately lost and will probably end up enjoying the store just like what happened in Middleton Hills. Some are very pissed that they are very close to the actual site along with another development across Cottage Grove Rd. but it's not like they shouldn't have known these things were going to eventually happen.

At least now the council are really on Copps/Roundy's ass to get the best possible design and more of a plan for the rest of the mixed use buildings before ground is broken.