Linda Falkenstein
The Malt House is raising funds to repave its crumbling asphalt.
There can be unforeseen expenses when you own a business. Bill Rogers knows.
Rogers owns The Malt House, one of Madison’s first specialty craft beer bars. The building, at 2609 E. Washington Ave., is the former Union House Tavern, and the venerable wooden bar is a holdover from the original Union House Hotel, which dates back to the Civil War. Then, soldiers from Camp Randall would make their way to Union Corners (“Union” comes from Union Army) and hoist a few pints before heading south to battle.
But Rogers’ problem comes from his more prosaic parking lot. Several years ago, Rogers received a citation from city zoning that the parking lot was gravel, or substantially gravel, which is not allowed for commercial lots. It would have to be repaved, and a sinking stormwater drain replaced.
Rogers admits he did nothing because he didn’t have the money to fix it. The case was eventually referred to the city attorney. “I had a meeting with the city attorney and had to show some progress, so I signed a contract with Poblocki Paving to repave,” says Rogers. He says he’s been told to have the lot problem taken care of by July 1 and he’s set up a GoFundMe page in hopes of getting financial help from patrons.
Rogers says he can make the down payment on the $16,000 job, and figures he’ll have about a month more to come up with the rest. A benefit held June 9 with a silent auction and music by The Kissers and The Grouvin Brothers helped, and Rogers is planning another. Fundraising is about 65 percent to goal.
Business has been down — “there’s more competition,” says Rogers. “And I love the east side but every single park festival empties our bars.”
The modest-sized lot was asphalt “but old” when Rogers bought the tavern 11 years ago; over half of it has deteriorated to gravel. Rogers re-did a portion of it about eight years ago with a product called “recycled asphalt,” but it didn’t hold up. “Every winter the snowplow shoves [more of it] aside,” says Rogers, who wishes there were a “less expensive and more permeable option.”
But the pervious pavements allowed are very specific (kinds of concrete with holes in it, or brick pavers that allow grass to grow in their centers) and would be more expensive than asphalt, says zoning inspector Jacob Moskowitz.
“Gravel is actually impervious, according to city engineering,” says Moskowitz.
