CDA members spent the largest portion of the July 22 meeting discussing a potential Wisconsin Department of Transportation purchase of the former Pablacki sign building at 922 South 70th Street and the implications for the West Washington Street extension and adjacent redevelopment.

Patrick (staff member) said the city had communicated with the governor’s office, the DOT secretary’s office, and state legislators about the possible purchase. “We did receive a response from the secretary of transportation saying that, yes, this is where the DOT would like to put their electrical division, but we don't know the details of what that means, in terms of materials stored outside,” Patrick said. He told members the DOT had issued an RFP for office space with conflicting radius requirements and that the city had requested a meeting with DOT managers to get details.

Board members voiced concerns about the visual and economic impacts if a state agency stores materials outdoors next to a corridor where the city has invested public funds. Staff and members noted the parcel is a highly visible corner near other sizable investments: the property was described in the meeting as assessed at about $6,000,000 and listed for roughly $9,000,000, and the board noted a $74,000,000 development nearby. Patrick said the DOT’s acquisition could remove the property from the city tax rolls and that a tax-exemption date tied to the DOT’s schedule appeared to be several years away; staff said DOT’s project timing for the broader West Washington Street extension is scheduled for 2029.

Why it matters: members said the parcel is one of the larger industrial properties on the market and is adjacent to ongoing private development and a planned park. Board members raised both economic and quality-of-life questions: whether outdoor material storage and truck activity would be compatible with a six-floor residential development across the street, potential loss of tax revenue while the DOT holds the parcel, and traffic mitigation dependencies tied to the West Washington Street extension and the Alice Chalmers Way connection.

Actions and status: the discussion produced no formal CDA action to block or approve a sale. Patrick said the city had been in repeated contact and sought an in-person meeting; he also reported the DOT indicated a “fast close” could occur in July and that any tax-exemption might happen four years before the city’s West Washington Street project would be built. Board members asked staff to pursue further meetings and clarifications; no vote was taken.

Clarifying details from the meeting: property cited as 922 South 70th Street (former sign-building site); staff reported DOT interest in siting its electrical division but said specifics on materials or outdoor storage were “not known”; property described as assessed near $6,000,000, listed near $9,000,000 (as reported by staff); city’s West Washington Street extension project was described as targeted for 2029 in the meeting; staff said DOT had issued an RFP with apparently conflicting radius language and that staff had requested meetings with DOT and governor’s office representatives.

Next steps: staff will continue outreach to the DOT and state offices and seek a meeting to clarify the DOT’s intended use, the timeline for acquisition and tax status, and any mitigation for nearby development. The CDA did not adopt any resolution or formal direction at the July 22 meeting.