Wisconsin Department of Administration Proposes New Archives Preservation Facility

State seeking to build major archive preservation facility on the Near East Side. (Wisconsin State Journal, 8/7/2013)

The project as proposed by the Department of Administration

• Demolish its aging Central Services Facility at 202 S. Thornton Ave. (the original construction dates to 1896)
• Build four-story, 188,733-square-foot facility on the 
• 5.1-acre site is located next to the Yahara river, city bike paths and railroad tracks.
• Cost:  $46.7 million
• Collections to be housed
• Wisconsin Historical Society
• Wisconsin Veterans Museum
• Tentative timeline
• Demolish in fall 2013
• Begin construction May 2014
• Complete project August 2016

Status of current archives

• Spaces are too small 
• Lack of necessary infrastructure and support services
• Leaky pipes 
• Lack of appropriate temperature and humidity controls and 
• Insufficient security

In 2011, DOA announced plans to build a archives preservation facility on Troy Drive on Madison's northeast side -- near Warner Park -- but neighbors didn't want it there.