South Park Street and Madison's south side: history, parks, library and places to start

A short history

The city's 2005 South Madison Neighborhood Plan covers the Bay Creek, Bram's Addition, Burr Oaks and Capitol View Heights neighborhoods. It says South Madison is one of the city's oldest areas and began as one of its first platted suburbs. A 1902 newspaper article it quotes called the area a "suburban addition to the Capital City, beautifully located on the south shore of Monona Bay." Working and middle-class families settled there and walked to jobs on the isthmus along the railroad tracks.

A few dates from the city's plans:

• 1880s to early 1900s: the Monona Lake Assembly drew summer crowds to the lakeshore site that is now Olin Park.
• 1928 to 1955: the Burr Oaks public golf course operated on land that was later developed.
• 1937: Bram's Addition, the first neighborhood platted in the 2022 plan's study area, was platted.
• Late 1950s: urban renewal cleared the Greenbush neighborhood north of South Madison. The plan says its displaced residents helped increase the south side's population.
• 1966: the John Nolen Drive causeway opened, strengthening the link to downtown.
• 1966: the Park Plaza Shopping Center opened, according to the 2022 plan. It later became known as the Villager, and the plan says the site's use has since shifted toward human services.

The South Madison Plan

The Common Council adopted the South Madison Plan on January 4, 2022, as a supplement to the city's Comprehensive Plan. It updates the 2005 plan for the area south of Wingra Creek, and the planning area runs from Wingra Creek south to the Beltline and from Fish Hatchery Road east to Lake Monona. Its guiding principles are anti-displacement, community wealth building and opportunities to thrive.

For South Park Street, the plan recommends clustering businesses into retail nodes, improving pedestrian facilities and safety, and adding off-street public parking. It names three focus areas, one of which is Village on Park, which it calls the south side's town center. That is the former Park Plaza Shopping Center, also known as the Villager. The city also says a separate South Area Plan process is expected to start in the second half of 2028, so check the city's planning pages for the current status.

Goodman South Madison Library

The Goodman South Madison Library is at 2222 S. Park St. According to a city announcement, the branch opened to the public on October 11, 2010, on the first floor of the Urban League of Greater Madison's Center for Economic Development and Workforce Training. It is named for philanthropists Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman and replaced a 3,500-square-foot space with a 12,000-square-foot one.

The library's site lists one meeting room, three study rooms, public computers, printing, Wi-Fi and a parking lot reached from South Park Street or Hughes Place. See our libraries guide for the rest of the system.

Parks along the corridor

• Olin Park: 47.12 acres at 1156 Olin-Turville Ct. on Lake Monona. The city says the 1884 pavilion, built as Normal Hall for the Monona Lake Assembly, is a local historic landmark. The city bought the former assembly grounds in 1912, opened it as Monona Park in 1919, and renamed it Olin Park in 1923. The beach has no lifeguards or swim ropes, and the boat launch needs a Lake Access Permit.
• Quann Park: 55.43 acres at 1802 Quann-Olin Pkwy., mostly an off-leash dog park of about 33 acres (a permit is required), plus 12 tennis courts and a multipurpose field. See the dog park listing.
• Goodman Park: 29.11 acres at 1402 Wingra Creek Pkwy., with a seasonal pool, playground, basketball courts, ball fields and a stop on the Wingra Creek bike path.
• Penn Park: 7.35 acres at 2101 Fisher St., with a playground, a lighted futsal court that opened in spring 2024, lighted basketball courts and a football field.

See our parks guide and Madison lakes guide for more.

South Madison Farmers' Market

The city lists the South Madison Farmers' Market as a market with several south side locations, including the Madison Labor Temple at 1602 S. Park St. and sites on Rimrock Road and South Park Street, running from spring through October. The market describes itself as "Building Community Through Farmers and Food Since 2002." Days, hours and locations have changed from year to year, so check the market's own site for this season. Our farmers markets guide lists the others.

Getting there and bus rapid transit

Metro's Route B runs along South Park Street, with timepoints at Hughes Place and Erin Street, between Cahill at Caddis on the south side and Northport on the north.

Bus rapid transit on Park Street is planned but not yet running. The city describes the north-south line as an upgrade of Route B with 24 stations and 9.1 miles of dedicated bus lanes. The project includes rebuilding Park Street from Fish Hatchery Road to Wingra Creek, with new signals at Burr Oak and Cedar Streets and a shared walking and biking path. As of the city's May 2026 update, final design and engineering was active and construction was listed as upcoming, so expect changes to the street in the coming years. Metro's East-West line, Route A, already runs; see our East Washington guide. For buses and bikes generally, see our getting around guide.

Places to start on South Park Street

These are businesses in our directory with a South Park Street address. Descriptions come from their directory listings. Hours and menus change, so check with each one.

• Grace Coffee Peloton: coffee roasted by Grace in Middleton, daily pastries and made-to-order breakfast sandwiches.
• Paleo Mama Bakery: a celiac-safe gluten-free bakery with more than 70 paleo, keto and vegan products and a retail shop.
• Cordial: a neighborhood cocktail bar in the old Rustic Tavern, with original cocktails, mocktails and craft beer.
• Ichiban: a Sichuan Chinese restaurant known for spicy crispy chicken, mao xue wang and spicy boiled fish.
• Taj Indian Cuisine & Bar: family-owned North Indian cooking, with tandoori, curries, biryani, a lunch buffet and a full bar.
• Casa Zaragoza: a family-run Mexican restaurant in a converted warehouse, with molcajetes, mole, a patio and mariachi.
• Mercado Marimar: a family-owned Mexican grocery since 2001 with a restaurant inside, weekend carnitas and tamales and fresh tortillas.
• Quality Hardware Co.: a family-owned hardware store serving the area since 1971.
• The Bounty: a vintage marketplace with an artist-in-residence program and creative services.
• Wisconsin Science Museum: a free hands-on science museum with Wisconsin research instruments and a Science Hall of Fame.