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Commission postpones decision on historic Northwest Water Tower; staff to seek public feedback and detailed cost options
Summary
After a multi-hour discussion about maintaining, removing the tank or demolishing the Northwest Water Tower at 504 Northwest Fourth Street, the commission voted to table the item and directed staff to solicit public input and provide more detailed cost options and lessee discussions.
The Madison City Commission on Monday discussed whether to continue maintaining, remove the tank but leave foundations, or demolish the Northwest Water Tower at 504 Northwest Fourth Street. After hearing structural and cost information from staff and noting the site also hosts cellular leases, the commission voted to table the matter and asked staff to return with community feedback and more granular cost options.
Why it matters: The tower is a local landmark that also produces recurring revenue through long-term cellular leases. The city faces a choice between multi-hundred-thousand-dollar maintenance obligations or a lower one-time demolition cost, both of which carry financial, operational and cultural implications.
What staff presented Amy Jamieson, speaking for staff, said the tower — taken out of service in 2023 after the new Industrial Park tower was completed — is the city’s oldest water-tower asset and needs work: "the paint is starting to flake off, and it does have a high content of lead, so it needs to be addressed." Jamieson said a maintenance proposal from a specialty vendor spread over four years would total $591,612; that proposal also included a smaller annual maintenance fee (reported as $14,618 starting in year five) intended to cover periodic inspections and eventual recoating.
Demolition was presented as a substantially lower one-time cost: staff reported a low demolition quote of $138,000 that would remove the tank and superstructure but may not include full removal of foundations. Jamieson noted that AT&T and Verizon Wireless hold leases on tower equipment; the value of remaining payments on those contracts was described as "just under $500,000." She said AT&T requires one year’s written notice for termination of its lease; Verizon’s lease runs until 2042.
Operational and technical context Mike (staff member) and Ryan Hague (staff member) discussed options to keep the site’s communications equipment operating if the tank is removed: relocating city gateways, using alternate towers under construction, and commissioning propagation studies to ensure coverage. Staff said city equipment relocation costs would likely be borne by the lessees for their cellular equipment, while city-owned radio/gateway relocation could be handled internally or moved to nearby assets.
Historical and community considerations Several commissioners emphasized the tower’s local history; staff and commissioners noted the nameplate on the tower reads 1933. "It's been here since then," one speaker said on the record, urging the commission to consider the historic value when deciding whether to remove the structure.
Commission direction and next steps The commission voted to table the question until its next regular meeting so staff can: gather public feedback (particularly from nearby residents), obtain additional cost breakdowns that separate repaint/repair versus removal of only the tank, and continue discussions with AT&T and Verizon about relocation or new lease options. Staff also will provide the prior inspection report and the vendor’s breakdown of recommended work.
What to watch for: Staff will return with community input, detailed cost options (including a scenario of removing the tank but retaining the framework), and propagation studies or lessee responses that could affect whether the city can retain lease revenue on an alternate structure or location.
