New Madison Central Library's First Change Order: Rooftop Garden

Fiore design

Link to October 28 Wisconsin State Journal article, "Grass-roots group wants community garden atop proposed library".

Excerpt: Imagine checking out a book on growing a rutabaga at a new Downtown library, hopping an elevator to the rooftop and then planting one.

A grass-roots group is pushing for perhaps the world's first rooftop community garden atop a metropolitan central library.

"The Downtown area of Madison is lacking community gardens," said Kevin Schiesser, a spokesperson for the fledgling Downtown Community Gardens Group. A garden atop a new central library "could be a real thriving scene."

The developer behind a proposed $37 million six-story, glass and stone library says a "green roof" is desirable, but that a community garden may be impractical and too costly, perhaps adding $3 million to the project cost.