A full restoration of the 1921 Academy School and the construction of a complementary new building. Together they form a boutique hotel with restaurant, café, lounge, event space, spa and gardens—with public space all open to residents. 

No. The land stays publicly owned under a long-term ground lease. This ensures the Town retains control forever.

No, the town does not pay anything. The hotel is funded entirely through private investment, not taxpayer dollars. While we initially offered Madison the option to invest and earn a financial return on the unused community-center funds, we have now separated that from the proposal. 

If the Town prefers, we will proceed with 100% private capital.   

Because only the hotel model generates the revenue needed to restore and sustain the building while not only avoiding a burden on taxpayers, but actively adding to the town’s tax revenue base.  A hotel brings long-term economic vitality while still protecting green space and preserving the historic structure. 

Positively and significantly.  Hotels generate foot traffic, year-round spending, weekday and weekend guests, and new customers for restaurants, shops, and services. We expect an immediate and lasting boost to downtown commerce. 

Absolutely. The café, restaurants, rooftop bar, gardens, and event spaces will be open to the public. The hotel will feel like a natural extension of Main Street—welcoming, warm, and rooted in Madison. 

A licensed traffic engineer will conduct a full study. We believe the project fits comfortably within typical downtown patterns and can be managed without burdening neighborhoods. 

Our goal is to strengthen it. 
The design is intentionally understated, natural, and timeless—more like a beautiful inn than a commercial hotel. It looks and feels like Madison 

It will be restored and preserved permanently. The proposal brings this beloved building back to life. 

Events take place indoors in the restored auditorium. The hotel will follow strict noise policies, as all luxury hotels do. 

Residents enjoy: 
• increased tax revenue 
• no cost or risk to the Town 
• a revitalized landmark 
• stronger downtown businesses 
• new jobs and year-round economic activity 
• new community gathering spaces

• increased property values 

Affordable housing matters, but it would place new long-term service demands on the Town without producing enough revenue to support those costs, and would make only a very small impact on Madison’s affordable-housing needs. 

The hotel provides the opposite: a revenue-positive use that preserves the building and carries no ongoing burden for taxpayers. 

Yes — it’s something the community continues to work toward. But the state requirement is large, with over 650 units still needed to reach the 10% threshold. The proposals for The Academy indicated only a small number of potential units, on the order of roughly 20–30, which is far below what’s needed to make a meaningful impact. 

Further, repurposing this building for affordable housing would be one of the most expensive ways to create those units, given the extensive structural, code, and preservation requirements of a 100-year-old school. The proposals we reviewed indicated only a limited number of units and did not demonstrate the financial or operational credibility required for a project of this scale. For these reasons, we do not believe they are realistic options for The Academy. 

The proposals indicated only around 20–30 units—it would shift Madison’s percentage by just about 0.2–0.3%, moving the needle only slightly given the overall scale of the requirement. 

Not at all. In fact, by increasing tax revenue and strengthening our local economy, the hotel helps fund townwide affordable housing solutions. And importantly, Madison has other sites better suited for this purpose — including a fully cleared vacant lot near I-95 that was prepared for development but left unused by its lessee. Nothing about The Academy project prevents the Town from advancing affordable housing there or elsewhere.  description

No — hotels have one of the lowest impacts on schools and municipal services, generating revenue rather than consuming it. 

Absolutely. With a restaurant, coffee shop, courtyard, club lounge, event space, spa, retail, and year-round programming, this project creates new gathering spaces for residents, not just visitors. 

Yes — dramatically.  Increased foot traffic and year-round guests mean more customers for shops, cafés, restaurants, and service businesses throughout Madison. 

Because Madison deserves something luxury, intimate, and true to its character—not a large branded hotel that would overwhelm the town. A boutique, design-driven property keeps the experience elevated, exclusive, and rooted in the local community while still attracting high-value visitors and delivering strong economic impact.