The Whitney Reserve

The Whitney Reserve is a contemporary mixed-use development located at the intersection of Old Middleton Road and Whitney Way in Madison. The project replaces an underutilized property with a four-story multifamily building that provides 49 residential units alongside approximately 1,450 square feet of neighborhood-serving commercial space. Positioned directly along existing bus routes, the development supports transit-oriented living while strengthening the corridor with new housing and active ground-level uses.

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The building’s massing responds carefully to the site’s changing topography and its surrounding context. While the structure rises four stories along Old Middleton Road, it steps down along the southern edge of the site to transition toward the adjacent Glen Oak Hills residential neighborhood. A series of architectural step-backs reduces the building height to three stories and ultimately two stories along the southern façade, softening the building’s presence and creating a more compatible edge with nearby single-family homes. At the prominent street corner, an additional step-back frames a community room and rooftop plaza, providing both visual articulation and an elevated shared amenity for residents.

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Architecturally, the building is anchored by a base of light-colored natural stone that establishes a strong connection to the site and reinforces durability at the pedestrian level. Above, the façade incorporates a combination of horizontal and shake siding arranged in varied compositions and color palettes. These layered materials and articulated details break down the building’s overall scale, creating visual interest while helping the architecture transition between the commercial character to the north and the residential neighborhood to the south.

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An intensive landscape plan further integrates the development into its surroundings, enhancing the streetscape while providing a thoughtful buffer between the building and the adjacent home. Parking is accommodated within two levels integrated into the structure and accessed from Old Middleton Road, allowing the building to maintain an active street presence. Through careful massing, contextual material selection, and landscape integration, The Whitney Reserve creates a balanced architectural response that strengthens the corridor while respecting the surrounding neighborhood fabric.