The developer behind North America’s tallest timber skyscraper has submitted a proposal to redevelop Madison’s Brayton Lot into a 10-story mixed-use apartment building constructed from mass timber. Located downtown, the two-acre site has remained undeveloped for decades, most recently serving as a staging area for the city’s Bus Rapid Transit line.
It comes as Neutral is one of three developers currently competing to develop the site. In its 79-page proposal—now available for review from the City of Madison website—it outlines plans for 414 residential units, office and retail space, public parks, and a health and wellness centre. A portion of the housing would be reserved for residents earning 30%, 50%, and 60% of the area median income, key to tackling the city’s housing crisis.
Speaking to Wood Central ahead of Timber Construct where he is slated to present, Neutral founder and CEO Nate Helbach said mass timber is central to the company’s development thesis, with the new proposal joining four other timber buildings in Neutral’s pipeline – in Madison, Milwaukee and San Fransico, ranging from four to 55 stories and at various stages of planning, development, and construction.
A preliminary carbon analysis submitted with the proposal, covering the A1 to A3 product stages, found a net carbon benefit of 2,593 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent. The use of glue-laminated timber columns and beams, combined with cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels, resulted in more carbon being sequestered than emitted during the production and installation processes. In total, the analysis equates the savings to about 3,845 round-trip drives from Madison to Key West or 37 round-trip flights.
Meanwhile, the building’s structural system is based on a 15-by-20-foot grid, with CLT floor panels spanning the shorter direction and glulam beams and columns spanning the longer. This configuration allows for sourcing flexibility from both domestic and international suppliers, helping to mitigate supply chain risks and maintain competitive pricing. Lower levels will be partially below grade to accommodate parking and respond to site geology, with concrete transfer slabs used at the second level to support the timber structure above.
Josh Dortzbach, CEO of Forefront Structural Engineers and lead engineering consultant on the project, said the building was “thoughtfully designed with fundamental structural ‘building blocks’ that unlock cost efficiencies and program needs, while also locking up harmful atmospheric carbon through biogenic sequestration in large-scale mass timber construction.”
The architectural concept incorporates biophilic design principles, using natural materials and forms to foster a connection between occupants and the surrounding environment. According to the proposal, mass timber serves not only as the primary structural material but also as a unifying element across the landscape design, urban activation, and architectural expression.
The Brayton Lot development is designed to strike a balance between urban density and pedestrian-scale details. The total building height, as measured by the City Zoning Code, will reach 12 stories, with setbacks, plazas, and light courts intended to encourage public interaction. The plan also complies with Wisconsin state statutes, preserving view corridors to the Capitol dome.
Please note: Wood Central will share an exclusive interview with Nate Helbach, founder and CEO of Neutral, in the coming weeks.
