TOLZIEN TAKES CHARGE ON OFFENSE
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Spring training begins with senior quarterback taking on new responsibilities
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The Urban Design Commission approved initial stages of the Edgewater Hotel expansion proposal 5-4 Wednesday, with Chair Bruce Woods breaking the tie, according to the Capital Times. Debate regarding the Edgewater Hotel proposal continued as Hammes Co., the developers of the expansion, demonstrated the additional changes they have made to their original project. “We’ve taken all the lessons we’ve learned from our meetings together, and we’ve slid the tower about 15 feet east,” said Ken Saiki, of Ken Saiki Design. The tower has been a point of contention throughout Edgewater Hotel debates because the neighborhood in which it sits does not allow buildings to exceed 50 feet in height. The developers claim the proposed height and size of the hotel is suited to the neighborhood. “Within its immediate context, it is appropriate to its abutting neighbors, [the height] is certainly appropriate with the scale of Madison,” said David Manfredi, of Elkus Manfredi Architects. In addition to refining their design, the developers determined 355 parking spaces will be required for the hotel expansion, which was cited the maximum. “Building more than 355 parking
spaces would be unwise, economically,” Amy Supple, the director of development for Hammes Co., said. Opposing residents in the area believe the neighborhood cannot accommodate the expansion and the tower. “The proposed expansion is not compatible with the neighborhood,” one resident said. Not every resident said that the hotel expansion would be bad for the neighborhood. Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2, expressed worries that her district, which includes the Edgewater, is losing residents because they want to live somewhere with more amenities. “I do think that having this commercial site will help to keep people interested in the neighborhood and drawn to the neighborhood,” she said. One resident complained that the developers were using the words “downtown” and “commercial” interchangeably. He said that the Mansion Hill neighborhood is “downtown” Madison, but that does not make it a “commercial” neighborhood. The developers said the neighborhood and the city of Madison itself are already highly varied, and the expansion of the Edgewater would serve to increase that variety. “I think that’s what makes this neighborhood what it is—its diversity,“ Manfredi said.
Basking on Bascom
2010 Census Road Tour provides information for students By Kelsey Gunderson The Daily Cardinal
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New plans for Mifflin St. Block Party presented By Allison Geyer The Daily Cardinal
Plans for the 2010 Mifflin Street Block Party are beginning to take shape and include more live music, beer and bathrooms. After the party’s success in 2009, sponsor DCNY Pro is back to manage this year’s event. Co-owners Dave Coleman and Ny Bass addressed the Madison Street Use Staff Commission at their meeting Wednesday morning where they outlined new ideas for the upcoming event. “Last year’s party was very successful,” said Coleman. “This year we’re going to make some changes that we think will improve the block party even more.” The May 1 event will feature more entertainment with a second live music stage on Bedford
Street in addition to the one on Bassett Street. “The stage will help give idle people something to do and a place to be,” said Coleman.
“We think [open-air beer gardens] will help encourage responsible drinking.” Dave Coleman co-owner DCNY Pro
UW System gives update on $81 million payroll project The Daily Cardinal
alison bauter/the daily cardinal
Partygoers of legal drinking age will also be able to enjoy a new, open-air beer garden complete with a live DJ stage.
The U.S. Census Bureau provided students with key information about the 2010 Census Wednesday on Library Mall. The event was part of a Midwest road tour designed to educate different parts of the population on the 2010 Census. Brian Grady, an official from the Madison Department of Planning and Development, said students are a segment of the population that is less likely to fill out their forms. “We did this same event with the 2000 Census, and we found it very helpful just to get material out and to get people talking about it,” he said. Grady said all students, even non-citizens, should not be counted on their parents’ forms, but should fill out their Census forms based on where they are a majority of the year. For most students, he said, this is their off-campus apartments or residence halls. “Once you get the form in the mail, just fill it out for everyone in your apartment or house and then send it back in,” he said. Grady said students living on campus will receive their forms in early April and can
lorenzo zemella/cardinal file photo
By Alison Dirr
Students flocked to Bascom Hill in their green St. Patrick’s Day attire to enjoy Wednesday’s springtime weather.
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Thursday, March 18, 2010
Initial stages of Edgewater redesign OK’d By Hannah Shepard
SPORTS
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Madison’s Romanian Film Festival offers satire and stark imagery
State lawmakers received an update Wednesday on an IT project meant to improve the payroll process at all University of Wisconsin institutions. This is the first phase of a larger project to overhaul the UW budget system. “The impact of this replacement has administrative functionality and affects each and every current employee of the University of Wisconsin system, all retirees and any potential employee of the system,” Tom Anderes, senior vice president for administration and fiscal affairs, told the committee. When the committee received a briefing in October, state Rep. Kitty Rhoades, R-Hudson, expressed concern that the project would not maintain its original budget. She cited millions of dollars
“wasted” on failed IT projects in the past. Anderes said Wednesday the project will adhere to its original financial plan as it has throughout the process. “There are points where we are looking at balancing the budget in terms of where we have excess dollars, and trying to offset some of that with where we may need some additional dollars,” Anderes said. The committee also followed up on the employment of Huron Consulting Group Inc., a private contracting group. State Rep. Gary Sherman, D-Port Wing, committee cochair, asked about the contractor’s ability to retain personnel for the project. He cited Huron’s recent earnings misrepresentation, reported in August, as a reason for concern. Anderes said to keep the project on track the state has had to
depend on the contractor for a “limited duration” to fill vacant positions typically held by state employees. He said employees working on specific segments of the project for only a few months tend to leave when they receive a better offer. State Sen. Pat Kreitlow, D-Chippewa Falls, a committee co-chair, further inquired about staffing challenges. He questioned whether the terms of pay or whether putting people under contract for longer terms were sufficient. “[The system should] not be used as essentially a public sector bargaining chip as people continually come out and say, ‘Well, I’ve got a better offer. What can you do about that?’” he said. According to Anderes, this is not a significant problem at this point, but one that must be watched vigilantly.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”