Morgridge Book

“I have had the pleasure of working on multiple projects with John and Tashia. The development of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery changed the way public and private research is conducted and became a national model for collaborative science. Remodeling and adding to the Education building allowed the consolidation of teaching, training, and research while creating welcoming indoor and outdoor spaces facing both Bascom Hill mall and Lake Mendota. But my favorite project was the underground loading dock. “We had spent years planning a renovation of the Memorial Union and a parallel remodeling of the adjacent Alumni Center. In between them, we wanted to replace the surface parking and loading dock with a park extension of the East campus mall connecting it with the Lake, the Union Terrace, and a new public boat dock. In order to do this, we had to move the loading dock to the Union, Red Gym, and Pyle Center underground and put the park on top. This was the lynch pin for the entire development! “This idea was complicated. However, a creative design and engineering team found a way to keep water out of the underground area. They planned to install a railroad round table normally used to turn train locomotives around in such a way that it could be used for 18-wheel semi-trucks and save underground space. Neither the Memorial Union budget nor the Alumni Association budget could pay for this wholly unique loading facility. “When the Morgridges agreed to make this generous donation, the entire project came together and as far as I know, it became the only loading dock named after a donor anywhere in the country.”

Alan Fish MS’01 Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Management, 2002–11