A neighborhood is born: Years of intense development have transformed the Capitol East District
A neighborhood is born: Years of intense development have transformed the Capitol East District
By Erik Lorenzsonn, The Cap Times
“…Eleven years have passed since the city approved a 40-page document laying the groundwork for an ambitious plan to overhaul the district where Asad lives, which stretches along East Washington Avenue from Blair Street to the Yahara River. For years, “Cap East” had been an industrial area marked by public works facilities, aging concrete commercial buildings, used car lots, and old factories.
Today, those structures share space with high-rises that locals describe as “urban,” “shiny” and “glitzy.” Eight years of rapid development have yielded over 1,195 new housing units, and 556,900 square feet of new commercial space. There’s a new 2,500-capacity concert venue, a renovated soccer field brimming with events and a 144-room hotel, all of which routinely bring throngs of visitors to the area…”