By Beth Sluys
Northside News
When the doors closed a little over a year ago at the Oscar Mayer site, the future of the property was anyone’s guess. Today, the guesswork is somewhat less in play; the new owners, Reich Brothers and Rabin Worldwide, are welcoming their first tenants to the office building.
TASC moved into a portion of the office facility in June after months of preparatory work occurring on the site. The overall transition is massive, as is the site at around 72 acres of property. The potential is exciting to both the owners and the public, especially as the work of the Oscar Mayer Strategic Assessment Committee (OMSAC) proceeds over the next few months. The culmination of this work will be a final report that will be presented to the Common Council in October of this year. The findings and expressions of future site use will be important as the property continues to morph from the Oscar Mayer site to the site of “Old Madison Station,” its new moniker.
The OMSAC members are exploring the site’s potential role in both the city and the region’s economy, considering long-term redevelopment objectives, equity and social justice impacts, possible transportation linkages, infrastructure needs and the natural resources of the area.
“If we can get the redevelopment right, then it will act as a catalyst for other Northside opportunities,” said Satya Rhodes-Conway, chairperson of the committee. “We want to ensure that the improvements benefit the people and businesses that are already here and also those to come.”
Once the OMSAC report is completed, the city will progress with a planning process (Special Area Plan) that will further define use plans for the area that includes the site. This process will also include public input and information sessions.
OMSAC members will host an open house on Thursday, Aug. 2 in the evening from 6-8 pm at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center. The community is invited to learn more about the work of the committee and current information about the site, as well as speak directly with city engineering staff and committee members about their ideas for future use of the site.
For more information about the OMSAC and related meeting materials and videos, visit the city’s planning department’s website at www.cityofmadison.com/dpced/planning/oscar-mayer/2614/.
The next regularly scheduled OMSAC meeting will be Aug. 13 at 5:30 pm at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center. All are welcome.