Columbus, WI — A significant new housing project is officially underway on Tower Drive, marking one of the city’s most notable residential expansions in recent years. The development, led by Lamps Landing LLC, will bring eight twin homes and a two-story apartment building designed primarily for residents age 55 and older to the corner of Tower Drive and Western Avenue.
On the quiet northern edge of Columbus, where Tower Drive curves toward Western Avenue and the hum of traffic fades into open sky, a patch of city-owned land has sat as a kind of in-between place — too visible to ignore, too undefined to inspire. But that is changing now. And if you ask city officials, neighbors or the developers who have taken an interest, they will tell you the same thing: Tower Drive is about to become a neighborhood.
The transformation begins with a vision from Lamps Landing LLC, the local development group that recently secured the land from the city. Their plan is simple on paper but meaningful in impact: eight twin homes and a two-story, age-restricted apartment building designed for residents 55 and older. Together, they form a small but intentional community — one that blends owner-occupied housing with senior-friendly living in a part of Columbus that has long been poised for growth.
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The Tower Drive Development project will be developed and managed by Josh Lamp. Lamp is the owner of two Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices offices located in Madison and Wisconsin Dells, WI, and a partial owner of Generations Title in Madison, WI. He brings extensive experience in residential development, real estate and project management, having been involved in numerous condominium communities including Park East (Madison, WI), Ashlawn East & West (Waunakee, WI), Burma Road (McFarland, WI), Conservancy Place (Deforest, WI), Cortland Park (Deforest, WI), Cortland Court (Deforest, WI) and Church Hill (Deforest, WI). In these developments, Lamp played a key role in both project delivery and sales as a licensed realtor. He has been overseeing the Bear Tree Farms and Diamond Village developments in the DeForest–Windsor area, comprising 22 single-family homes currently under construction and priced between $360,000 and $650,000. Currently he has 10 single-family homes being built in Windsor, WI. Many of these homes have been sold prior to completion, reflecting strong market demand and the success of his development approach.
Recent projects by Lamp in the community of Columbus include The Crest at Cardinal Heights, a 45-unit luxury apartment community offering one- and two-bedroom floor plans with high-end finishes and structured parking. Developed by True Building Group LLC, the project is part of a larger plan that includes preservation of a historic farmhouse and new single-family lots. Managed by True Managing Group LLC, the community combines modern amenities with convenient access to local services. Completed on an accelerated 24-month timeline, it exemplifies efficient project delivery and quality residential design. Lamp managed the entire land development process for a 16-lot single-family subdivision, including securing entitlements, overseeing the installation of all public infrastructure and coordinating lot sales.
For longtime residents, the project feels like part of a broader shift. Tower Drive has seen steady but quiet development over the past decade, with new homes, nearby commercial growth and improved access to the city’s north side. The new housing fits neatly into that trajectory — neither sprawling nor dense but thoughtfully scaled.
And there is something else happening here: a sense that Columbus is building not just more housing, but more options. More ways for people to stay, to move, to grow, to age. More ways for the city to evolve without losing its character.
City leaders have been candid about why this project matters. Columbus, like many small Wisconsin communities, is navigating a shifting housing landscape: younger families looking for starter homes, older residents looking to downsize and a market that has not kept pace with either group.
