Draft Environmental Impact Assessment and Notice of Public Meeting
Music Hall Renovation and Addition
Project # A-24-012/0485-2501
University of Wisconsin – Madison
This is a notice for the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) for the University of Wisconsin – Madison’s proposed Music Hall Renovation and Addition project published in the Wisconsin State Journal on January 20, 2026. The DEIA release date and the start of the public review period are January 20, 2026, and the public meeting is scheduled for February 3, 2026.
The public meeting to present the DEIA for the proposed project will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. The meeting will be held virtually and can be attended online at https://tinyurl.com/ad5xkfuw or via phone by dialing +1 715-318-5006 followed by access code 110 426 154. A description of the project and potential environmental impacts will be presented. All persons will be afforded a reasonable opportunity to identify both orally and in writing any support, issues, or concerns they believe should be further addressed during the EIA process for this proposed project. The DEIA has been prepared in accordance with the Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act (WEPA), Wisconsin Statutes 1.11, and UWSA guidelines (Board of Regents’ Resolution 2508, November 6, 1981). The University of Wisconsin System Administration (UWSA) has retained Ayres Associates on behalf of the University of Wisconsin-Madison to prepare this EIA
The building was originally constructed between 1878 and 1880, and the building was officially occupied by March 2, 1880. In 2012, an area of exterior wall veneer stone collapsed, and an exterior analysis of the entire building completed in 2017, determined that weather, age, and damaged repairs have caused considerable damage to the building overall. Year after year, this structure has sustained additional damage without repairs to the roof, gutter system, and stone veneer envelope. Significant deterioration of the building exterior has continued to affect the underlying structure, exterior façade, and interior of the building. Damage is significant and needs to be addressed immediately before further catastrophic failure occurs
This proposed project will add 26,000 gross square feet (GSF) to the existing building. The proposed addition is a three-level structure that provides additional faculty and staff office space. This new addition will also provide additional programmatic space for the La Follette School of Public Affairs. The estimated project cost is approximately $50 million for Phase 1 funded by gifts/grants, and Phase 2 funding is to be determined.
The purpose of the Draft EIA is to identify the project’s potential impacts on the physical, biological, social, and economic environments. The Draft EIA describing these potential impacts is being made available to the public and appropriate federal, state, and local agencies for a 15-day minimum review period, which begins January 20, 2026, and concludes February 3, 2026. Copies of the document will be available for review at the UW-Madison Memorial Library and Madison Central Library or on the following project website: http://www.ayresprojectinfo.com.
If you are interested in this project or have any information relevant to it, we welcome your comments, suggestions, or other input. For consideration in the Final EIA, please submit your comments at the meeting or in writing by February 3, 2026. Comments in writing can be sent to:
Peter Kaufmann-Luft
Environmental Scientist
Ayres Associates
3433 Oakwood Hills Parkway
Eau Claire, WI 54701-7698
KaufmannP@AyresAssociates.com
Click Here to View:
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (20,349 Kb, PDF File)
Comment Form (7 Kb, PDF File)