Envision Downtown Madison Kickoff Event

You’re invited to Envision Downtown Madison! Join us as we plan for the future of downtown.

Envision Downtown Madison is a strategic partnership between the City of Madison and Downtown Madison, Inc. (DMI) that will guide the future of downtown through two separate but coordinated efforts – the City’s update to the Downtown Area Plan and DMI’s new Greater Downtown Economic Investment Strategy. The coordinated efforts are beginning their processes at a public open house on Tuesday, December 2 at 6:00 p.m. at the Madison Concourse Hotel, 1 West Dayton Street. The City and DMI invite the public to attend and learn more about this partnership, project goals, and share their thoughts and ideas for the future of downtown Madison.

Please register in advance at this link if you plan to attend in person to help us anticipate the number of participants.

A virtual option will also be offered via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. You can join virtually using your computer, smartphone, or tablet, or you can listen in via telephone. You will receive login information after registering at this link.

The event will start with opening remarks from Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and DMI President Jason Ilstrup, followed by a presentation outlining the partnership and project goals. After the presentation, attendees will be able to share their perspectives on the future of downtown Madison with project team members. The same presentation and engagement activities will be offered to in-person and online attendees.

The Downtown Area Plan will guide future growth, public policy and investments, and will build off the success of the 2012 Downtown Plan. Led by DMI, the Downtown Strategy will focus on opportunities for long-term investment in downtown that ensure growth is viable, sustainable, and inclusive.

The last time the city created a plan for the downtown area was 2012, and a lot has changed since then. Downtown has seen multiple residential buildings and thousands of homes added, more types of businesses offering a wider variety of services and cuisines, and a Bus Rapid Transit system making it easier to get downtown than ever before. The future could hold even more possibilities, including a potential Amtrak station, the repurposing and redevelopment of several centrally located state office buildings, and more.

To learn more about the projects, including how you can stay updated via email updates, visit the City Downtown Area Plan webpage. and the DMI Downtown Strategy webpage.