The Dude Abodes

Once the site of a former bakery and parking lot, this five-story, mixed-use building on the bustling corner of Park & Drake Streets maximizes its downtown Madison location. At ground level, large storefronts line the public ways inviting pedestrians into the retail spaces. Above, its fifth floor townhouse-style units were designed to capitalize on incredible views of the Madison skyline, Lake Monona, and the Capitol. Units feature large windows and upscale finishes.  During construction, this downtown site allowed little room for parking and access. One lane of the bustling Park Street had to be closed multiple times to enable crane and truck access for delivery and setting of precast concrete structure. Earth retention near existing underground utilities and adjacent homes led to challenges. A higher-than-anticipated water table containing contaminated groundwater was discovered during excavation. This required testing, monitoring, and coordination with several different governing agencies.