2003 Madison Mayors’ Race:
The Role of Historic Preservation
Eugene Parks
[Editor’s note: Mr. Parks submitted the following statement to cover all five questions.]
Madison has a tremendous historic heritage. This heritage is a huge part of
what makes Madison a nationally attractive place to live. The legacy of Madison
designated as the State Capitol has been a vital part of the economic vitality
of this city.
The State Capitol Building has always been
this city’s symbol but over the last two decades, this wonderful architectural
building has been assaulted and surrounded by some of the worst designs in the
world. Downtown Madison has been transformed into a developing playground for
the wealthy living in over-rated condos that are ugly next to office high rises
that are dehumanizing.
The construction of the absurdly ugly Hilton
Hotel with the connected Catholic Diocese building and the attached Madison Club
is truly one of the ugliest configurations in the world connected via an obscenely
ugly skywalk to the Frank Lloyd Wright “inspired” Monona Terrace.
I am grateful that Mr. Wright is not alive
to observe this insult to his vision.
Adding insult to injury, the City of Madison
has permitted the construction of the Overture Center which is a gigantic mediocre
design with a signature element that literally resembles an inverted flashlight
to compete with the lighted State Capitol Building, which has always been the
signature beacon to central Madison. Of course, the Kenton Peters’ Condo for the
wealthy and other high rises continue to assault the view of the irreplaceable
State Capitol Building.
State Street and the ballyhooed Mall are an
expensive drain on Madison taxpayers requiring huge subsidies that no other streets
in Madison receive while property rents are outrageous for a revolving door of
opening and closing restaurants and bars and huge police enforcement for underage
drinkers and alcohol-related assaults and rowdy UW athletes!
This is Madison today, obsessed with its reputed
liberal reputation that historic values have been pushed aside with the pursuit
of wealth and tax incremental financing.
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