by Brian Lee

While many of Madison’s startup companies are located downtown or on the near-east side, there hasn’t been a centralized building to anchor them, but that may change in the near future.

A group of Madison entrepreneurs and civic leaders provided some details recently on StartingBlock Madison, a startup hub that will likely be located at the former Mautz Paint building, 925 E. Washington Ave.

“This is something that will bring real energy to Madison,” Scott Resnick, Alder of District 8 and part of the planning group, said. “It’s unique to Madison. To have a center like this run by entrepreneurs and envisioned by entrepreneurs is incredibly special, and I’m very excited to have it off the ground.”

According to information provided by Capital Entrepreneurs, the facility will provide Madison-based startups with flexible office and coworking space, accelerator support, peer and mentoring resources, education and training and community building activities. It hopes to open in fall 2014.

Sector67 and gener8tor will move their operations into the building, which will see a five-story addition along with interior renovation. Resnick said there will be enough parking to “satisfy the tenants of the building.”

StartingBlock Madison has issued an RFP for development and hopes to select a development partner this summer. An early estimate for cost provided by Resnick puts the project around $10 million to $15 million.

Other members of the planning group include Forrest Woolworth of PerBlue and Capital Entrepreneurs, Troy Vosseler of gener8tor, Chris Meyer of sector67 and Pam Christenson of MGE.