Essen Haus owner open to change, optimistic following developer’s back out

Amanda Quintana by Amanda Quintana

Essen Haus owner Bob Worm said he wants to keep moving forward to find another developer to sell his buildings on East Wilson Street to, after developer Lance McGrath decided to pull out of the project.

McGrath was planning to tear down Essen Haus and the building next door to build a five-story apartment complex with commercial space.

Last week, the city’s Landmarks Commission looked at McGrath’s project and had concerns that it didn’t meet the necessary requirements of a historic district.

“This is the heart of the first settlement district, which as the name implies was the first settlement in Madison. People came from the water and they walked up King Street and they walked up Blair Street, and they created Madison,” said Stu Levitan, chair of the Landmarks Commission.

Because of that history, there are particular design needs and constraints for any new development in the area.

Levitan said parts of East Wilson are also a national historic district, making it a “very difficult lot to develop on.”

“It’s unfortunate that (McGrath) had to abandon the project. I still think there’s a project that working together, we can get to a yes. But apparently not quite yet,” said Levitan.

Worm is hopeful the right developer will come along.

“The buildings (are) getting older, they need to be revamped,” said Worm. He said it’s a challenge to keep up a building that was built in 1865.

.@EssenHausWisc is still standing. After a developer pulled out of the plan to tear it down and build apartments, the business will keep serving up boots of beer!�

The owner tells me he’s feeling positive & hopeful that another developer will want to take on the project. pic.twitter.com/sIpmr3B8dX

— Amanda Quintana (@AmandaQTV) July 3, 2019

For now, Essen Haus will be open.

“Essen Haus will be here. We’re open tonight, tomorrow night, Fourth of July night. So we’ll be here for as long as we know, been here 37 years. A few more years until we develop,” said Worm.

When asked if the popular bar will stay there after the buildings are eventually redeveloped, Worm said he’d leave that decision up to the developer.

Levitan hopes whoever tries to develop the area realizes that the neighborhood needs more housing options, but also follows the area’s design and historic standards.

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