Brookfield-based Hammes Co. is proposing a $100 million renovation of the Edgewater Hotel, which is located on the downtown Madison isthmus on the shore of Lake Mendota and near the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The project includes an 11-story hotel tower expansion bringing the total room count to about 240 rooms, and increases public access to the lake with a landscaped plaza that would overlook Lake Mendota and be connected to a street that leads directly to the state Capitol building, plus a staircase from the street to the waterfront.

The hotel was originally built in 1948 and was expanded in 1973 and for years was known as the premier hotel in Madison where several celebrities have stayed.

Hammes says the project would created 900 to 1,000 jobs during the construction and that 500 new jobs would be created from the hotel when the project is completed.

"Our goal for the redevelopment of the Edgewater Hotel is to create an extraordinary destination that is uniquely Madison," said Robert P. Dunn, president of Hammes Co. "The property's place at the intersection of downtown, the university and Lake Mendota  provides us with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to create a community centerpiece that improves public access to the lake, enhances Madison's profile as a destination city, and drives further development in our neighborhood and the rest of downtown Madison.

Hammes Co. plans to submit its redevelopment plan for the hotel to the city sometime in July. The project must be reviewed by the city's Landmarks, Urban Design and Plan commissions and must receive final approval from the City Council.

Hammes hopes to begin construction on the project in early 2010 and complete it in early 2012.

A new 83-room Hampton Inn & Suites hotel opened in Grafton on Tuesday.

The four-story hotel, developed by West Bend-based American Design-Build and North Liberty, Iowa-based Kinseth Hospitality Corp., is located southeast of I-43 and Highway 60.

Each suite in the hotel has high-speed wireless internet service, a flat screen television, a microwave and refrigerator.

The hotel also has 600-square-foot meeting room and another boardroom which can seat up to 8 people. In addition, the hotel has an indoor pool, fitness center and business center.

The hotel is part of a 16-acre Gateway to Grafton development, which also includes a BP convenience store. A 7,600-square-foot Water Street Brewery restaurant is also planned for the development.

Kinseth Hospitality Corporation in partnership with American Design-Build also developed the Sleep Inn & Suites in Milwaukee near General Mitchell International Airport and the Hampton Inn & Suites in West Bend.

The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) this week requested that Governor Jim Doyle order an in-depth study of rehabilitation and replacement options for the Hoan Bridge in Milwaukee.

“The clock is ticking, and doing nothing is not an option,” said MMAC President Tim Sheehy. “In the near future we will need to make a multi-million dollar decision on whether to rehabilitate the Hoan Bridge as it is or replace it with some other alternative. Given the tremendous cost and the economic impact involved, it is important that we get all the facts on the table soon for the public and policy makers.”

The bridge, which connects downtown Milwaukee to Bay View, St. Francis, Cudahy and other communities on the south side, needs an estimated $200 million in repairs. Because of the costs of the repairs the state is considering other options, including replacement of the bridge with a street level boulevard. The DOT hired a consulting firm to examine what real estate development possibilities would be created by lowering the bridge to grade level.

“MMAC supports an in-depth study of all the various options for the future of this corridor, including replacement of the bridge as is, replacement in a different form, or relocation of this transportation corridor to an entirely different footprint,” said Sheehy. “We believe that a detailed analysis of all these various options, their costs and their benefits, and the views of the impacted communities will be critical to ensuring that the best decision is ultimately made for our economy and our taxpayers.”

Concordia University Wisconsin, located in Mequon, plans to hold a groundbreaking ceremony on July 14 for a $3.5 million, 13,000-square-foot, two-story Concordia Center for Environmental Stewardship building that will be constructed on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. The university recently restored the bluff. Concordia is hoping to obtain a LEED gold certification for the building.

The building will have laboratories, classrooms and a seminar room that can accommodate up to 200 people for presentations.

With its lakefront exposure, Concordia officials say the building will be a center for study of the Great Lakes and other environmental issues.

"When completed , the center will offer many educational programs and research in water stewardship and other sustainability education topics for Concordia University students as well as visiting area schools and the greater community," said Bruce Bessert, director of the Concordia Center for Environmental Stewardship Program.

Concordia has added new degrees because of the new Environmental Center, a bachelor's degree in environmental studies, a bachelor's in education with a minor in environmental students and a master's degree in education with an emphasis on environmental education.

Construction is expected to be complete in time for the start of the 2010 academic year.

The average monthly unreserved parking rate in downtown Milwaukee is $110, well below the national downtown parking rate average of $154.23, according to a new report from Boston-based Colliers International.

The average monthly reserved parking rate in downtown Milwaukee is $136, compared to the national average of $188.75.

The average daily parking rate in downtown Milwaukee is $12, compared to the national average of $15.96 and the average hourly parking rate in downtown Milwaukee is $3, compared to the national average of $5.57.

The most expensive place to park in the U.S. is midtown Manhattan, where the average monthly cost for unreserved parking is $550.

The least expensive place to park in the U.S. is Bakersfield, Calif., where the average monthly cost for unreserved parking is $40.

Despite downtown Milwaukee's low parking rates, parking here is more expensive than in several major cities including: Indianapolis, St. Louis, Charlotte, N.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, Phoenix, Orlando and Memphis.

Sendik's Fine Foods Inc. plans to close its Franklin store, located in the Wyndham Village development southeast of Highway 100 and Drexel Avenue, and will sell the store to Milwaukee-based Roundy's Supermarkets Inc., which plans to open a Pick 'n Save store there.

Sendik's Fine Foods other location is in Brookfield. The other Sendik's store in Franklin, located at 5200 W. Rawson Ave. is owned by a different group of the Balistreri family.

The Highway 100 store opened about one year ago, next to a Target store.

Franklin city officials were informed that the Sendik's Fine Foods store will close in late August and that Roundy's plans to purchase the store and will re-open it as a Pick 'n Save store around Nov. 1.

A spokeswoman for Roundy's could not be reached for comment.

The closest Pick 'n Save stores to Wyndham Village are at 7201 S. 76th St. in Franklin and 5800 S. 108th St. in Hales Corners.

Irgens' son joins firm
Wauwatosa-based Irgens Development Partners LLC recently hired Thomas Irgens as a development representative. Irgens will assist in development projects including project feasibility analysis, market research, planning and design oversight, contract adherence, obtaining government approvals/permits, leasing and more. Thomas Irgens is the son of Mark Irgens, the manager and president of Irgens Development Partners.

Cambridge Major Labs to dedicate expansion
Cambridge Major Laboratories Inc. will host a dedication ceremony on July 30 for its 125,000-square-foot expansion of its facility at W132 N10550 Grant Dr., Germantown. The company makes active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Zilber statue unveiled
Last week Zilber Ltd. officials and family members of the company's founder, Joseph Zilber, unveiled the statue of Joseph Zilber and his wife, Vera, that now stands at Zilber Park in the former Pabst brewery complex in downtown Milwaukee. Zilber is redeveloping the former brewery complex into a mixed-use urban neighborhood called The Brewery.

Grand opening set for The Park at 1824 apartments
Wauwatosa-based Wangard Partners Inc. will host a grand opening of their recently completed east side apartment project, called The Park at 1824, at 1824 E. Park Place, Milwaukee, on Thursday July 9 from 3-7 p.m. The four-story building has 61 apartment units. The building is located four blocks from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus and includes study rooms on each floor.

Federal funds allocated for Hank Aaron Trail
Menomonee Valley Partners will receive $300,000, included in the Environment Appropriations Act recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, for ongoing efforts to build the Hank Aaron State Trail. The funds would be used to purchase native trees, shrubs and grasses for a major segment of the Hank Aaron State Trail that runs along 2,000 feet of the Menomonee River. “The Menomonee River Valley is on its way to reclaiming its livelihood,” Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, said. “What was once an important center of commerce from the time of Native American tribes to early 20th century industries is on its way back. By redeveloping the Menomonee River Valley into a place where business, parks, green space and other public infrastructure intersect, Menomonee Valley Partners is working to create hundreds of jobs and a renewed appreciation for the Milwaukee area’s natural resources.” The bill will now go to the Senate for its consideration.

Creating an economic engine around General Mitchell International Airport, Thursday, July 2, 7:30 a.m., Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel, 4747 South Howell Avenue , Milwaukee.

4th Annual SIOR Scholarship Golf Outing, 11 a.m., Friday, July 24, Blackwolf Run, Kohler. For more information call Bob Dufek at (414) 333-2974.