A Grand Day for the Urban League

SOURCE: The Capital Times

The new building on South Park Street that houses the Urban League of Greater Madison was stuffed to the rafters Friday noon as people from around the city came together to celebrate what could well be a benchmark to the future of south Madison.

Charles Taylor, who as the league’s vice president came up with the idea to raise money for a new Urban League home back in 2004, said he was told that if the board decided to take on the challenge, he would have “to come along for the ride.”

He likened the past six years to what it must have been like working for the Pony Express. The rider had to go on until the mail was delivered.

“Well, today, the mail has been delivered,” he said.

That Madison’s Urban League needed a new home was beyond dispute. Its one and only headquarters in a century-old house on Gorham Street didn’t have the room or the equipment needed to service the league’s employment, educational and housing programs, all of which had come into higher and higher demand as the city grew and problems became acute.

During the next five years, the league was able to cobble together $5 million not only to build the new structure in front of the Villager Mall, but to support expanded programs that are now possible in a spacious building equipped with the latest in computer and other technology.

Just last week, for instance, the league teamed with the Great Lakes Higher Education Board to hold a clinic where young people could learn the ins and outs of applying for financial aid to attend college.

“That could never have been done in the old building,” Taylor remarked. “There wasn’t room or equipment.”

Ed Lee, the ULGM’s interim CEO since the departure of Scott Gray, who had spearheaded much of the fund drive, said that since the league has moved to south Madison, a day doesn’t go by without someone calling to suggest uses for the new building. MATC will soon hold computer classes there. Groups like 100 Black Men meet there with young people from the neighborhood.

Tri-North Builders was the general contractor for the building and exceeded goals to hire minority workers. One minority-owned firm, Urban Builders of Madison, worked closely with Tri North and received mentoring that could lead to bigger projects in the years ahead.

The grand opening was a joyous occasion. South Madison Ald. Tim Bruer paid tribute to the “elders” of the neighborhood, who have never given up hope.

“The richest and poorest come together at this one site,” he said.

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz remarked that the city’s decision to buy the Villager Mall and donate part of the land to the Urban League was the right thing to do. Work is currently under way to remodel the old shopping center, which will become a new gateway to Madison.

The hope is that the Urban League building, which will soon also house the south branch of the Madison Public Library, will serve as a catalyst for new development and rejuvenate the proud south side of town.

Judging from the enthusiasm that was on display last Friday, that’s a distinct possibility.

Dave Zweifel is editor emeritus of The Capital Times. dzweifel@madison.com