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City of Madison

City of Madison Seeks Redevelopment Proposals for Block 113 (Brayton Lot)

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Block 113 formerly known as the Brayton Lot from the corner of Hancock and Main Streets

The City of Madison’s Economic Development Division is announcing the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment of Block 113 in downtown Madison, formerly known as the Brayton Lot, presenting a rare chance to repurpose a full city block in the heart of downtown.

This is an exciting opportunity for Madison and the downtown community — and one that doesn’t come along very often. Downtown Madison provides great opportunities for sustainable living, and we hope this project will provide even more options for people to live, work and play in the heart of our city.

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Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway

Located at 1 South Butler Street, just blocks from the Wisconsin State Capitol and steps away from access to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route, the two-acre site allows for development up to 10 stories, with two additional stories possible if a developer chooses to include a sufficient amount of affordable housing. State law doesn’t allow buildings in this area to exceed the Capitol View Height Limit.

Replacing an obsolete City-owned surface parking lot with a new development will allow the City to support more housing and activity in the heart of downtown while also expanding tax base.

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Department of Planning, Community and Economic Development Director Matt Wachter

The potential redevelopment of the lot has been discussed in City plans for several decades, and the City is now ready to move forward by evaluating proposals.

The redevelopment of the Brayton Lot has been a topic of neighborhood interest and visioning for 25 years. Madison has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a vacant parking lot at the edge of the oldest residential and commercial district in the city and develop transit-oriented opportunities for new housing and services. The current visioning of stakeholders hopes to achieve a mix of market-rate and affordable rental and owner-occupied housing, a commitment to energy sustainability, well-designed spaces, and green infrastructure.

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District 6 Alder Marsha Rummel

Proposals will be judged according to how they score across eight sections outlined in the Project Scope and Specifications portion of the RFP. The points system is based on the City’s priorities for the project, with sustainability and affordable housing topping the list.

Requirements for Redevelopment

Block 113 formerly known as the Brayton Lot from the corner of Hancock Street and East Washington Avenue

Block 113 most recently served as a staging site during the construction of the East-West BRT route. The use of the City-owned site was considered an in-kind contribution as part of the Federal Transit Administration Joint Development Program, which provided significant funds for the East-West BRT project. Because of that agreement, the redevelopment of the site must follow some FTA requirements, including:

  • Any development must also be approved by the FTA (the City will assist the selected applicant with this process)
  • Any development must benefit transit over the lifespan of the development
  • The new development must incorporate private investment
  • No more than 270 off-street parking spaces throughout the entire block will be allowed (approximately how many parking spots the previous surface lot held)
  • The development must return a “fair share of revenue” to Madison Metro, which owns the block. This may be paid through equal payments over 15 years and must total the net present value of $9 million. The net present value of $9 million is also net of any assistance that developers may request of the City.

Additionally, the City is requiring that the project abide by its Tenant Selection Plan and Affirmative Marketing Standards, as well as agree to a Land Use Restriction Agreement to ensure any affordable units (offered to those making 60% of the Area Median Income or below) remain affordable for 40 years.

You can find the full RFP and requirements on the City of Madison’s project webpage.

Proposals are due by 2:00pm on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

More Information and Resources

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