Hey! Remember the “Carson Park Tower Group,” spokepersoned by none other than former Wis. Senator, current motorcycle freedom fighter, and all-around genius (citation) Dave Zien? Of course you do! Last September, they wanted to build a seven-story student housing complex right behind the Dairy Queen on Menomonie Street, capitalizing on the local student body’s need for shelter and ensuring a swift trade of Butterfinger Blizzards.

Well, the city council said “no,” hoping to discourage man-made structures able to block the sun’s light from actually entering Carson Park.

Well, now the group has returned, carrying the tightly rolled up blueprints for something called “Carson Park Place,” a hopefully more reasonable (and palatable) student housing complex standing only four stories high. The building would hold up to 80 tenants in 24 units. According to the Leader-Telegram, it’d be 43 feet tall, as opposed to the original plan for 693 feet of dormitory towerness.

Now, the city would like to put that land to commercial use, but the Carson Park Place developers think it’s perfect for residential living because of its closeness to the Chippewa River State Trail and the all-important park – and of course, that awesome Dairy Queen. The city has made no official decision on the new plans, but I have made the official decision to swallow a whole butterscotch Dilly Bar as soon as possible.

On a completely related note, I simply can not see enough pictures of Dave Zien! Bam! Bam! Ba-BAM!