Phoenix Center to rise again

By Staff
Local business park sees new development
Thomas Tingle
Record Managing Editor
Like the phoenix that is believed to rise every 500 years and reincarnate itself during a new generation of life, so is one of Madison's premier business parks – Phoenix Center.
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 25, for a new office building that will be built at the Hughes Road business park. It's owner, Ted Romine, of Port Properties Development, said since the ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Oct. 21, 1994, the park, located at 601 Hughes Road, hasn't lived up to its full potential as a premier business address in the center of Madison. To instill new interest in the park, Romine will construct a 5,200 square-foot office building and has plans to build one or two more office buildings later this year.
"Phoenix Center is one of the last undeveloped commercialized areas in this particular part of Madison," Romine said. "Shortly after opening the park, I built an office building on one of the larger lots at the rear of the park. It's been a success since."
In 2002, another business located in the 14-lot park. Romine said he believes that once construction begins on the new office building, it will draw interest as an ideal location to build."
"This office building will be designed to house three office suites. I hope to lease those, or either sell it, before building one or two more office buildings," Romine said. "The design of the office building will be different from what exists now."
Romine said he plans to redevelop the entrance area of the park – including renovations to the marble and granite sign.
In 1994, the Phoenix Center was one of Madison's first projects developed under the city's new upscale B2-S1 commercial zoning, which allows for 25,000 square-foot lots to be used for individual businesses, in addition to 40,000 square-foot lots zoned for commercial use.