Despite a difficult design and entitlement process, Chapter Madison — a purpose-built student housing property geared toward upperclassmen at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin — has opened 100% occupied for the 2024-2025 academic year and is already 85% leased for next fall, according to the property website.
Among the challenges at the 534-bed property, located near the southeast corner of campus in Madison’s Greenbrush neighborhood, was the unusual shape of the lot. The long, narrow wedge was difficult to reconcile with local requirements for building setbacks at levels five and nine, according to Alan Barker, principal at the property’s architect, Chicago-based Lamar Johnson Collaborative. “This is important in respecting the scale of the neighborhood but was challenging with the shape of the site,” Barker told Multifamily Dive.
To resolve the design issues, Barker revised the original documents to incorporate the required setbacks. He also widened the sidewalks, added four- and five-bedroom units and secured a mural for the building by local artist Amy Zaremba. “This level of detail was invaluable to securing approval for the project,” he said.
While LJC was originally brought on in a consulting role, the firm ended up taking over as design architect while the project was stalled in entitlements, according to Barker. Once the project was fully approved, LJC was made architect of record, and LJC Interiors, the firm’s interior design arm, took on its amenity and public space design.
The final exterior incorporates terracotta-colored and dark gray masonry with complementary sheets of metal and deep-set windows. “To respect and relate to the surrounding historic architecture without faux ornamentation and mimicry, we relied on fewer, finer materials,” Barker told Multifamily Dive. “...The result honors the historic neighborhood’s history while leaning in a modern direction that distinguishes it.”
On top of the design benefits, fewer materials meant fewer interfaces — which, according to Barker, meant less material and less labor to get to the final result.
“This project’s success — from initial vision to a fully leased student community — would not have been possible without the collaboration and trust of our neighbors, local leaders and UW-Madison partners,” J.J. Smith, executive vice president and partner at Chicago-based developer CRG, told Multifamily Dive.
Living space
Units at Chapter Madison range from studios to five-bedroom apartments across 29 floor plans. Each unit has up to four bathrooms, depending on size, and most floor plans have fully private bedrooms for each occupant, with divided or shared rooms in some configurations, according to the property website. The apartments are fully furnished, with beds, dressers, desks, an entertainment center, stainless steel kitchen appliances and in-unit laundry.
A penthouse-level clubroom offers floor-to-ceiling windows, numerous seating areas, a TV, gaming areas and a fireplace, according to Barker. Other amenities include a coworking center with private study rooms, a fitness center with yoga and fitness on-demand programs, a business center, outdoor lounge seating, fire pits, grills and a rooftop sun deck with views of the state capitol building and Lake Mendota.
“A good portion of the penthouse level was devoted to amenity space, offering the opportunity for all residents to enjoy the stunning views,” Barker said. “The design and choice of materials is more sophisticated than what is typically expected in student housing, which speaks to the timelessness of the interiors. These are spaces graduate students and young professionals can feel at home in, as well as undergrads.
