Madison in August (Pics)

[EastSider]

Recently visited Madison, and took some pictures to share. Always proud of my hometown everytime I visit. Cheers Madison.

Through the curtain wall at the Overture Center


New Development


Part of the Overture Center. Cesar Pelli decided to include the historic department store in the design


Outdoor seating on State St.


More State St.


State St. is closed to through traffic, so bicycling is prominent.


Capital Square


State Capital












Bank on the Capital square


New Development on the Capital square


Moving away from the square.


Typical streetscaping in the area




Heading to the convention center.


Waterskiers practicing next to the convention center on the lake.


View from the parking garage above the Monona Terrace (convention center)




Looking towards the Capital building


Monona Terrace from the lake


Bike Elevator?








Public paths next to the lake


Some public art


New condos




Courthouse












City Rooftops.

[araman0]

Very Nice! That bike trail you showed is part of a 19 mile loop that I frequently bike.

[EastSider]

Originally Posted by araman0

Very Nice! That bike trail you showed is part of a 19 mile loop that I frequently bike.

My family used to bike it growing up. Huge fan.

[gearedtowardssalad]

Madison looks great! Never been there, but would love to visit!

[MilwaukeeMax]

is it Capital Square or Capitol Square? Just wondering...

also, what's up with the waterskiers in a pyramid? tommy bartlett trainees??

[EastSider]

Originally Posted by MilwaukeeMax

also, what's up with the waterskiers in a pyramid? tommy bartlett trainees??

They're part of the Mad-City Ski Team. I guess they're pretty good, they often are national champs (some of them may actually ski for Tommy Bartlett). Boating and water-skiing is a popular rec sport in Madison because of all the lakes. Totally miss that.

[atrain5371]

Nice Pictures. What rooftop is that last one from?

[i_am_hydrogen]

Really nice shots.

I'm all for adaptive re-use, but I think incorporating the Yost facade into the Overture Center's design was a huge misstep.

[Chadoh25]

Very Nice!

[looksee]

Nice set of photos; They give a good sense of the city's continuing freshening.

One point about the Overture Center. Pelli wasn't in favor of preserving the Yost's exterior, and obviously made absolutely no effort to try and integrate it into the exterior design after it had to be saved. (While I think that the Overture Concert Hall itself is brilliant, both visually and acoustically, I'm convinced that the whole exterior of the Center was pretty much a throwaway project for Pelli's firm; It shows no imaginative distinction of design or materials, the glass entrance and lobby could only be appreciated if they were fronted by a large plaza, and what can one possibly say about that bent-soda-straw-frame of a dome?)
Fortunately, its happy surroundings distract and overwhelm from all that.

[looksee]

Originally Posted by MilwaukeeMax

is it Capital Square or Capitol Square? Just wondering...

"Capital" refers to the city, the seat of our state government; "Capitol" to the building in which the legislature meets.
While both spellings are potentially correct in regards to the Square, the one about the building is right.

also, what's up with the waterskiers in a pyramid? tommy bartlett trainees??

Since you show such delight in all things Madison, thought you wou would appreciate some more elaboration about the Ski Team:

FROM: http://host.madison.com/ct/sports/am...cc4c002e0.html
Fast boats, acrobatic skiers and the beauty of Lake Monona. It must be summer, and the start of the free water ski shows by the Mad-City Ski Team.
The national champion team, founded in 1963, hits the waters of Lake Monona for the 47th straight summer on Sunday, the show taking place at Law Park, just east of Monona Terrace.
The junior team kicks things off at 5:30 p.m. then the full team hits the water at 6 p.m.
Shows are held every Sunday evening except July 18, when the team competes in the state tournament, and Aug. 15, when the team goes to the nationals.
The Mad-City Ski Team is the current state and national champion show ski team, winning both titles in five out of the last six years, in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

[Jennifat]

From everything I've seen in photos and heard about Madison is that it's a great city. I really need to get down there and check it out sometime. I've driven past so many times but never had time to stop and explore!

[morestoreysplease]

Hi, I've just returned from a trip to Madison and the surrounding area to see my American wife's relatives. I am British and my wife lives in CA and we come and go a lot! Even though the Sunday / Monday snowstorm was grim, it didn't take away my memories of a fantastic city and I intend to come back during summer one year. It was good to get back this morning in the UK and see some green and 50s temps again - no offence!!

[Squiggles]

Great pictures, especially the one looking back to the Capitol from the Monona Terrace. I can't wait to have summertime back in my beloved Madison again.

[Bishibosh]

Sorry for the bump, but I haven't posted here in ages. Don't have any of my previous info. I visit Madison for recreation, Eau Claire for fishing down by the dam downtown and I have friends in most of the Lake Winnebago cities.

Thanks for these pictures, they're nice! Keep up the posts of all our small-mid sized cities here. Some of them are charming little places.

[brewerfan386]

OT: Why does Wausau have a development thread but Eau Claire doesn't (EC is much bigger)?

Awesome pics, EastSider!

[mexmatt]

Madison was my first "big city away from home" experience: When I was 14 (1967), I received a scholarship to the UW Summer Music Clinic. Those two weeks were quite the eye-opener for a kid who'd never really been outside of Ashland. Understandably enough and after living in Mexico City for the past 30+ years, Madison now almost seems like a quaint, smallish town. But it's still lovely and seeing those pictures brings back wonderful memories of a distant time.

[El Mariachi]

Originally Posted by mexmatt

Madison was my first "big city away from home" experience: When I was 14 (1967), I received a scholarship to the UW Summer Music Clinic. Those two weeks were quite the eye-opener for a kid who'd never really been outside of Ashland. Understandably enough and after living in Mexico City for the past 30+ years, Madison now almost seems like a quaint, smallish town. But it's still lovely and seeing those pictures brings back wonderful memories of a distant time.

Yeah, I think alot of cities would feel like villages compared to Mexico City!

Always wanted to visit Mexico City. Seems like a very unique, interesting place.

[mexmatt]

Originally Posted by El Mariachi

Yeah, I think alot of cities would feel like villages compared to Mexico City!

Always wanted to visit Mexico City. Seems like a very unique, interesting place.

If you like contrasts, you'd love MC: Gazillions of under-employed, impoverished people living side by side with Carlos Slim, the World's richest man (he beats Bill G. by about 20 billion); Gorgeous/trendy Art Deco and Art Nouveau neighborhoods (Colonia Condesa and Colonia Roma, respectively); American-style 60s houses (Ciudad Satélite); and over all, a sense of dynamism and HISTORY that's literally beneath your feet (the unearthing of Pre-Hispanic relics is a daily occurence whenever work is done on the drainage system or on a new subway line.) Does one need a break every once in a while? Undoubtedly. But after a certain time outside of this smoggy, noisy monster, "the itch" returns, and you can't wait to get back!

[mgk920]

Originally Posted by brewerfan386

OT: Why does Wausau have a development thread but Eau Claire doesn't (EC is much bigger)?

Awesome pics, EastSider!

There is one simple way to get an Eau Claire, WI Development Thread going - make one (like I did for Appleton, WI).



Oh yea, once you get past those messy and inconsiderate protesters, Madison is a pretty nice city, at least to visit!

Mike