Everybody knows Madison is the capital of Wisconsin. And while the Capitol rotunda isn’t going anywhere soon, our state government has embarked on a long-term plan called Vision 2030 to reduce its physical footprint in downtown Madison.
Here’s why the state is implementing Vision 2030, and what downtown state-owned buildings might be transformed by the plan.
👀 What Is Vision 2030?
The first iteration of Vision 2030, released in May 2021, pointed out that the state is faced with aging infrastructure, staffing challenges, and a greater demand for digital rather than in-person services.
With employees increasingly working remotely following the COVID-19 pandemic, state officials said it was a good time to plan to sell off underused office space to both raise revenue and modernize how it operates. [Dept. of Administration]
🤔 What Was the Reaction?
In 2025, Republicans in the state Legislature passed a law that required any government employee who worked in an office before the pandemic to return to their desks. But Gov. Tony Evers vetoed it, pointing to the Vision 2030 plan. “State government is working smarter and faster than before,” Evers said at the time.
Like everything else it seems, Vision 2030 has come up in this year’s race for governor. Former Republican candidate and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann proposed moving agencies out of Madison and into more conservative parts of the state, while U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany said he was focused on rooting out “waste, fraud, and abuse” in state government, not what he called “rearranging the furniture.”
Among the Democratic candidates, including former Dept. of Administration head Joel Brennan, who actually helped develop Vision 2030, the focus has been on making sure state agencies are as effective as possible and that citizens across the state can access resources. [Wisconsin Watch]
Madison business leaders, meanwhile, are effusive about the idea, noting that developers are eager to buy those in-demand properties from the state. [Cap Times, Wisconsin Watch, WKOW]
It tells you that downtown Madison is hot. It tells you that these land tracks are very valuable and that we're going to see some great, interesting creative uses that will help enrich downtown for years to come.
Jason Ilstrup, President, Downtown Madison Inc.
🚆 All Aboard!
The most high-profile example of these properties being sold is the former Department of Human Services building at 1 W. Wilson St. The 1930s Art Deco style building is being eyed as the site of a future Amtrak station for Madison when rail service returns to the city, which could be as early as 2030. The building would also hold retail and office space. [WPR]
👑 A Big Change on Webster Street
The state is proposing to accept a $12.6 million offer for two aging government buildings on South Webster Street near the Capitol Square. Father-and-son developers Brad and Mark Binkowski are hoping to turn the former General Executive Facility 2 and 3 buildings into two apartment buildings with a combined 300 to 400 units, along with commercial space and a large open area between the buildings. [🔒WSJ]
