UP: McDonald's. A city committee recommends paying $312,000 to the fast-food giant's restaurant on East Washington Avenue. The payment settles a lawsuit brought by McDonald's because of a pedestrian bridge that blocks motorists' view of the restaurant, hurting business. Guess the city shouldn't have super-sized that walkway. The Common Council must approve the settlement.
DOWN: The Edgewater. The five-member TIF Review Board, which must approve the expansion of any tax increment financing district, expresses reservations about allowing the State Street TIF to expand to include the Edgewater Hotel project. Developers need $16 million in TIF funds to proceed with renovation. "In many ways, I don't think it passes muster," says Lucy Mathiak, a member of the review board and the Madison School Board. The board is expected to vote on the proposal this month.
