The Lyon's Den, Ep 03 - Ret. Det. Bruce Frey on Madison's Nightmare Meadowlands Apartments

In episode 3 of The Lyon’s Den, retired Madison Detective Bruce Frey sits down for a full-length interview focused on the now infamous Meadowlands Apartments on Madison’s far East Side, where drugs, gunfire, brawling, harassment, and other crimes have spiraled out of control.

The first phase of this massive complex opened to renters in late 2022. With alarming speed, it has devolved into a frightening trap for residents and a major boondoggle for law enforcement. Problems have also rapidly spread out from the Meadowlands to surrounding neighborhoods.

Frey, who lives near the Meadowlands, has helped draw significant public attention to this ugly and dangerous situation. He also has extensive past law-enforcement experience in successfully partnering with residents to reduce crime in troubled Madison neighborhoods. Frey is extremely well-placed to share insights on what’s unfolded at the Meadowlands to date, why it’s happening, and how to arrive at the right solutions.

SHOW NOTES:

Indianapolis-based KCG Management's web page for the Meadowlands

https://www.kcgcompanies.com/portfolio/the-meadowlands/

KCG Management's initial pitch to the City of Madison for the Meadowlands Apartments:

https://www.cityofmadison.com/council/district/districtfiles/district3/documents/The%20Meadowlands%20-%20Neighborhood%20Meeting%208_8_19.pdf

Madison Planning Commission approves Meadowlands Apartments over objections of area residents:

https://captimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/madison-plan-commission-approves-east-side-affordable-housing-complex-over-resident-concerns/article_8be34c6d-c67a-5708-8b93-8ea1cba2c6ad.html

KCG' February 2021 Invitation to Bid for development of the Meadowlands Apartments:

https://www.wheda.com/globalassets/documents/tax-credits/emerging-business-program/solicitation-for-bids/meadowland-solicitation-of-bid.pdf

Local news reporting shows a steady stream of stories on the problems at Meadowlands, starting in at least March 2023, including the City of Madison declaring the complex a public nuisance in April:

March:
https://www.wkow.com/news/increasing-police-activity-leads-madison-apartment-complex-to-be-declared-chronic-nuisance/article_d6f18ddc-c9cd-11ed-9fa8-c301afc07173.html

April:
https://captimes.com/news/community/madison-m-block-housing-complex-declared-chronic-nuisance/article_c6ec9609-a382-5ac0-a17e-dcb2b4db3a81.html

https://captimes.com/news/community/150-police-calls-7-in-one-day-life-at-madisons-m-block-apartments/article_64ddd9d5-acf2-5aea-8724-4a87fc44a131.html

May:
https://www.nbc15.com/2023/05/05/its-wrecking-my-nerves-madison-mom-moves-family-hotel-after-fearing-safety-meadowlands/

June:
https://captimes.com/news/community/how-two-madison-affordable-housing-projects-took-a-turn-for-the-worse/article_7195d9b0-e808-5df3-94ca-3d9a385eaefb.html

August:
https://captimes.com/news/community/troubled-meadowlands-apartments-to-be-focus-of-meeting/article_a4c7649b-d145-594e-bfdc-1f2f80c43764.html

https://www.channel3000.com/news/weve-messed-up-city-property-manager-hold-meeting-on-nuisance-meadowlands-apartments/article_50a9fdb4-47ad-11ee-a0e5-a7c019a4afe2.html

Note: While KCG certainly has much to answer for, they're not wrong about how hard it is to evict people here. It tends to be a very long and arduous process.

September:
https://www.nbc15.com/2023/09/13/madison-single-mom-fears-familys-safety-meadowlands-apartment/