University Avenue Whitney Way Development – Krupp General Contractors LLC

Over the past three years, Madison, Wis., has witnessed major changes in the city’s west side. A local contractor and developer, Krupp General Contractors LLC (Krupp), is heading up Madison’s sizable expansion. Since 1976 the Madison-based company has served southern Wisconsin as a well-recognized leader in urban in-fill type construction and redevelopment through the use of the latest green building techniques.

Making Way for Development

Krupp unveiled its vision for the development of 14 acres stretching southwest from the corner of University Avenue to Whitney Way before city officials in June 2011. The mixed-use plan of what will be University Avenue Whitney Way Development calls for seven buildings totaling 448,000 square feet of build-out expansion. Krupp’s plans also include: three parking garages hosting 1,400 parking spots, a six-story 130-room hotel, two clinic buildings, as well as 60,000 square feet of retail and commercial space.

“Overall this job is a fairly complex animal with a lot of different entities,” explains Dietmar Bassüner, project manager for Krupp. To make room for the expansion, Krupp needed to demolish several vacant buildings, including the former Irish Waters bar, Merrill Springs Motel, a convenience store and former offices of Marshall Erdman and Associates.

The company’s proposal, however, didn’t pass without some heated opposition from taxpayers. Residents of the adjacent Spring Harbor neighborhood raised concerns in the wake of Krupp’s offering from increased traffic and the size of the expansion to the project’s impact on water quality. Water quality was an issue because the site is situated within the well head protection zone of a nearby Madison municipal drinking water well. Stormwater needed to be directed away from the area, preventing harmful substances from seeping into the ground and the aquifer.

Past uses for the site include gasoline sales, metal and plastic fabrication and paint storage, leading surveyors to believe the soil may have already been polluted and was in need of remediation. However, Paul Lenhart, president and CEO of Krupp, reports that a previous audit indicates the site is clean, and assures his company will uphold the highest commitment to environmental standards.

Residents were also concerned with making sure the development was compatible with the urban area. Some were worried that the plan called for expansion too intense for the neighborhood. As quoted in The Cap Times article highlighting the proposal, Mark Clear, a Madison city official, says the expansion will bring much needed revenue and jobs to the area. “Overall, I’m excited to see a potential project turn a blighted area into something productive that will generate tax revenue for the city,” Clear explains in the article. “As a city, I think we need to promote job creation.”

Managing Expectations

After nearly four decades in business, Krupp has proven it has the capacity to take on a project of this size. According to Bassüner, focusing on the planning and management of expectations from those of area residents to architects and end-users was critical. “As the general contractor and developer, we were working from a unique perspective,” he details. “It was most important to manage complex relationships.”

Under an ambitious schedule, Krupp broke ground on the site’s $24 million, 68,000-square-foot UW Health Digestive Clinic for gastrointestinal services in February 2012. “The facility has a procedure center for colonoscopy/endoscopy and a gastrointestinal clinic, which are supported by a radiology suite and clinical laboratory,” shares Bassüner. “All along, we’ve been on a tight, aggressive schedule, from the first footings to anticipated turnover. I’ve been involved since early in the planning process with clients, architects and engineers.”

The UW Health Digestive Clinic is just one portion of the $100 million University Avenue Whitney Way development. Like the other aspects of the large-scale expansion, Krupp is bringing the UW Health Digestive Clinic in on time and on budget. “It’s been about 13 months from start to occupancy,” reveals Bassüner. “The construction and final site work was completed in January 2013. Now, we’re just gearing up to coordinate occupancy and the movement of employees as they rotate into the building and treat their first patients.”

After nine years with Krupp, Bassüner admits project management success is about looking at the big picture and the end goal. “Meeting key milestones is rewarding for me,” he shares. “In this case, seeing the staff enjoy their new facility and giving them the opportunity to take in more patients has been the most satisfying part of this whole development. It’s great to know we hit our goals, whether it was moving equipment out in time or reaching key weather enclosures, in time to make an impact on the community.” Krupp General Contractors LLC continues to deliver expert project management throughout the University Avenue Whitney Way Development expansion.

For more information about Krupp General Contractors LLC, please visit: www.kruppconstruction.com.