Developer not selected as finalist submits proposal for Madison College downtown campus

MADISON, Wis. — The real estate company chosen to develop Judge Doyle Square has submitted a proposal for the Madison College downtown campus location, despite not being one of the five proposals selected in January, officials said.

Madison College officials selected the five proposals for redeveloping its downtown campus as the college looks to close that location and moves its programs elsewhere.

The Board of Trustees narrowed a list of 11 proposals down to five and asked them to submit formal plans. Those five proposals are due to Madison College on Wednesday.

On Monday, Beitler Real Estate submitted a proposal for a 250,000-square-foot office building that would take the place of the current Madison College downtown campus building.

Vice President J.P. Beitler said the $115 million project would replace the existing building with a triangular-design building that could be single- or multi-tenant.

The proposed building would take up one acre of the two-acre property, with the other acre being a public green space. The building’s triangular design would allow in the maximum amount of natural light and create the most amount of square footage with virtually no columns throughout the building, Beitler said.

However, Beitler Real Estate was not one of the proposals being considered for redevelopment, according to Madison College.

Madison College Chief Financial Officer Mark Thomas said Beitler’s proposal to build an 11-story office building is not being considered for the college’s downtown location.

“Here are the facts: Beitler Real Estate responded to the request for qualifications. Beitler Real Estate was not one of the five developers invited to submit a request for proposal. Beitler Real Estate was not, and is not, being considered further for this project,” Thomas said in an email to News 3.

“MATC is a public institution whose budget if funded by local, state and federal taxpayer money in an amount of 82 percent,” Beitler said in an email. “The request for proposal is a public bid and it is incumbent upon MATC as a fiduciary of public funds to consider all viable options. After reviewing our proposal, we believe it will be in their best option.”

Thomas said the college set forth a pretty clear process for submitting proposals and out of fairness for the other projects, they will be following the process.

College officials will review the proposals. They plan to take their recommendations to the Board of Trustees meeting in May, Thomas said. The final approvals are expected by fall 2018, and the college plans to move all of its programs from its downtown campus by 2019.

Thomas previously said the college will use the money from leasing the land to reinvest in tools, technology and programs to help students.

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