Fall means the return of Oktoberfest and, against the odds, Madison’s Essen Haus will be celebrating the German beer festival again in 2026.
The beer hall and restaurant at 514 E. Wilson St., will host its Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, Sept. 12, with live music both inside and outside the bar and German beer and food specials all day.
But a few years ago, that didn’t seem to be in the cards. Several attempts have been made by developers to tear down the Essen Haus and the Come Back In next door for a mixed-use development. Another proposal from Lotus Development is awaiting city approval. But, for now, the Essen Haus remains and the beer taps keep flowing.
Raise a glass (or a boot) to the Essen Haus’ long history and the many times it has escaped the wrecking ball.
🇩🇪 A Taste of Germany in Madison
In the 1800s, East Wilson Street was located just a few blocks from the city’s first train station and became a haven for German workers and travelers who came to Madison. But the neighborhood soon fell into disrepair, with a reputation for transient hotels and houses of ill repute.
That changed in the 1980s when Bob Worm bought several properties in the 500 block, taking over the Come Back In and the Up North Saloon and opening the Essen Haus in 1982 and Hotel Ruby Marie. [Essen Haus]
🏗️ The Many Plans to Tear Down the Essen Haus
Plans to raze the Essen Haus have dated back over 20 years, and somehow it’s stayed standing. Here’s a timeline:
2004: Developers offered to buy the property from Worm and build a 16-story mixed-used development, but that plan was withdrawn after opposition from neighbors and city officials.
2005: The developers came back with a scaled-back plan for an eight-story development with condos, retail and parking, but that fell through.
2016: Worm announced he was working with Kothe Real Estate Partners on a plan that would demolish the Essen Haus and Come Back In buildings, but relocate those establishments in a new development on the block that would also include a hotel and housing. But the concept never took off.
2019: Developer Lance McGrath announced plans to raze the Essen Haus and several buildings around it to build a five-story development called “The East End” that would include 153 apartments, commercial space, and parking. That deal also fell through in what McGrath at the time called a “long, messy story.”
2024: JCap Real Estate of Eau Claire proposes redeveloping the block for a six-story, 100-room hotel and an eight-story apartment building while preserving some of the facades of the historic buildings. That plan received an initially positive reaction from the neighborhood, and got far enough along that the Essen Haus announced that it was closing in August 2024.
But as the project was delayed, the Essen Haus kept its doors open, and the JCap plan eventually was cancelled. [🔒WSJ]
🍻 The Last Oktoberfest?
Now there’s another development proposal on the table. Lotus Company is proposing a $40 million project, similar to the JCap idea, that would feature 198 lower-cost apartments across two buildings and a hotel and restaurant. Facades from buildings such as the Come Back In would be preserved.
If Lotus gets approval from the city, construction would start next July, with completion in July 2029. [WKOW]
