Under state law, the State Office Building at 1 West Wilson Street must be preserved

 

Photos by Retiring Guy

Headline and map:  Wisconsin State Journal, 1/9/2025

The State Office Building at 1 W. Wilson St. will close once the Department of Health Services has moved around the corner of the Square to the State Labor Building — also known as General Executive Facility (GEF) 1 — at 201 E. Washington Ave. 

Built in phases between 1929 and 1959, the largely Art Deco State Office Building does not have a local historic designation but is designated in the National Register of Historic Places, and under state law must be preserved by any future property owner, said Heather Bailey, Madison’s preservation planner. 

The building “is a monumental piece of public architecture and public art,” Bailey said in an email. Its sale, she said, represents an “excellent opportunity” for a developer to use state and federal preservation tax credits to adapt it for a new use. 

In other words, none of this will happen.

Other Towering Isthmus posts:

2025

One 09 East Wilson luxury housing development.  (1/9)

Another student housing high-rise at West Johnson and North Bassett.  (1/8)

Bus terminal and student housing under construction on Lake Street.  (1/8)

2024

East Wilson Street luxury housing development.  (8/29)

Bus terminal and student housing under construction on Lake Street.  (9/28)

The Verve August construction site visit.  (8/23)

Cluster of 4 connected buildings to rise at West Johnson and North Bassett. (8/23)

Atmosphere Apartments.  (August 2024 construction site visit).  8/21)

Atmosphere Apartments. (June 2024 construction site visit),  (6/17)

East Wilson Street luxury housing development (June 2024 construction site visit)

Adria mixed-use development as seen from Monona Terrace.  (6/1)

Oliv looms over State Street in Madison WI. (6/1)

Bus terminal and student housing under construction on Lake Street in Madison WI (May 2024 site visit).  (5/31)

Views of Hilton Garden Inn and Atmosphere Madison from top of nearby parking ramp.  (5/13)

Chapter at Madison apartments from above street level.  (5/13)

Embassy Suites at Judge Doyle Square.  (5/5)

Oliv.  (5/3)

The Verve.  (5/1)

Chapter at Madison.  (4/13)

Say goodbye to the Lake Street side of the State Street Campus Garage: March 2024 construction site visit.  (3/10)

12-story apartment building going up behind Kohl Center .  (4/12)

The Verve housing project on Broom Street.  (2/1)

oliv on State Street in Madison WI is heading toward the finish line.  (2/1)

15-story apartment complex to replace demolished Paisan's building on West Wilson Street.  (2/1/2024)

Like another brick in the wall:  2-story State of Wisconsin Investment Board building makes way for 14-story luxury housing development.  (1/31)

12-story apartment building going up behind Kohl Center site visits. (1/31)

10-story mixed-use development at Park and Regent site visits.  (1/30)

Embassy Suites by Hilton nears completion.  (1/30)

12-story apartment building going up behind Kohl Center.  (1/26)

2023

Towering Isthmus:  Cluster of 4 connected buildings to rise at West Johnson and North Bassett.  (11/23)

The Verve housing project on Broom Street.  (4/29)

Judge Doyle Square hotel project.  (2/9)

145 West Wilson Street.  (2/9)
oliv on State Street.  (2/9)

Verve Living. (1/10)

2022

Developer to transform the Library Mall end of State Street in Madison WI.  (3/27)

2020

Downtown Madison MATC campus proposal.  (2/13)

2019

AC Hotel Madison is open for business.  (11/12)

Keeping tabs on HubbA HubBa and the West Gorham Street canyon.  (4/21)

Uncommon unbranded.  (4/21)

To buutique or not to boutique.  (4/8)

151 East Wilson. (1/4)

2017

East Washington corridor.  (9/12)

Two views of the Lyric Apartments from a sunny East Mifflin vantage point.  (9/12)

2016
The Lux on West Johnson Street.  (10/23)

Another look at Ovation 309.  (10/22)
Capitol's Edge Apartments, the final shots.  (9/16)

2015
The Towers of Porta Bella.  (8/13)
670,000 square foot development risin' on the 800 block of East Washington.  (4/19)

Sleeping and entertainment destination to rise in the middle of this photo.  (1/11)

2014
Cranes at dusk.  (12/11)

The Towering Isthmus: A behemoth hogs the skyline from Bascom Hill.  (12/4)
The Hub, the new hulk in town.  (11/16)
North Bedford Street Project Still in the Proposal Stage.  (11/11)
Blue Velvet.  (9/10)
The New Edgewater Hotel gets ready for its fireworks celebration.  (9/10)
Among the first wave of towers on the Isthmus.  (9/9)
For those of you who haven't stood at the intersection of West Gilman and State Street in Madison Wisconsin lately.  (9/9)
A tree grows on West Gilman Street.  (9/9)
Nobly or otherwise, this is no longer the question.  (9/8)
The towering isthmus (left to right).  (8/27)
The Towering Isthmus (and the 3 cranes): For folks who can afford the view.  (7/22)
That Was Then, This is Now: The 400 Block of West Gilman.  (7/18)
New housing rising.  (5/8)