Graaskamp Apartments

Graaskamp Apartments is a 44-unit multifamily development located along East Washington Avenue on Madison's near east side, just minutes from the Capitol. Named in honor of legendary University of Wisconsin real estate professor James A. Graaskamp, the building occupies the southwest corner of a larger property, replacing a surface parking lot and an existing 8-unit building, while preserving all existing green space along Mifflin and Second Streets and introducing no additional traffic to those corridors.

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The building's 3-to-4-story massing is carefully calibrated to its urban context. A fourth-floor stepback along East Washington Avenue and the full western elevation reduces perceived bulk and brings the building into alignment with neighboring structures, while front yard setbacks along East Washington create a more generous relationship between the building and the street. The exterior draws on a layered material palette of masonry at the pedestrian base and fiber-cement panel siding above, in a composition of charcoal, white, and warm wood tones. Deep rectangular cutouts punctuate the façade, forming private balconies while breaking down the massing and adding depth and rhythm to the street-facing elevation.

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The building is served by a 36-stall basement parking garage, keeping the ground plane clear and reinforcing the pedestrian character of the streetscape. All first-floor units are designed to universal design standards, and transit access is immediate with bus service directly outside the building. Graaskamp reflects KBA's approach to urban infill multifamily housing: contextually grounded, architecturally considered, and designed to contribute meaningfully to the neighborhoods it joins.

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