Work begins on future site of Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery

 A major change will begin to take shape on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus this month as construction begins at the future site of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.

When completed in 2010, the institutes — composed of the public Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and the private Morgridge Institute for Research — will serve as a campus hub for interdisciplinary scientific collaboration.

The future site of the institutes is the 1300 block of University Avenue, an area bordered by University Avenue and Campus Drive to the north and south, and Orchard Street and Randall Avenue to the east and west.

In preparation for demolition of the existing buildings, which will begin in late February or early March, all occupants of the block have been relocated and nearly all UW–Madison materials have been removed. Site fencing is currently being installed by Findorff-Mortenson, the construction manager for the project.

Beginning on Jan. 17, all three traffic lanes on University Avenue will be shifted but will remain open for the duration of construction. Also along University Avenue, the project will create a slightly relocated bike lane that will be separate from a pedestrian walkway. Construction will not change city bus operations or schedules.

The east sidewalk on Randall Avenue and the north sidewalk on Campus Drive/Johnson Street will be closed; however, crosswalks will be maintained at the corners. The project limits will extend across Orchard Street, which will also be closed.

The next activities will be a salvage operation by the Madison Environmental Group and Habitat ReStore. The project’s goal is to recycle 80 percent of the materials from the existing buildings. New construction work will start in spring 2008, with completion of the building scheduled for the end of 2010.