Local News
Slew of big-money projects in La Crosse get final decisions tonight
La Crosse Center $40-million remodel,
Barron Island dev., Hixon Forest $100k relief
The La Crosse city council has its hand full at a meeting tonight.
A number of big-money items will be up for final vote at the 7:30 p.m. meeting at the council chambers in city hall.
On top of the list of decisions is the $40-million renovation plan for the La Crosse Center.
Complete renovations for the civic center were originally for over $73 million. You can see the itemized list of all the upgrades below.
- Also up for a final decision is a deal from a developer to take on the old Holiday Inn site on Barron Island, which has been unused for around two decades.
Water Place One has plans to put up 26 high-end condos in a first-phase development. The company said, with improvements, the whole project could be worth an estimated $11 million.
- Also on the docket is spending $100,000 in leftover funds to patch up washout that happened in Hixon Forest, between (and just below) Bliss Road and Forest Hills Golf Course.
While the city finalizes plans to spend the money that was originally allocated for stormwater projects, it is still waiting to hear from an engineering firm that was hired to evaluate the stability of Bliss Rd., itself.
- Another item on the council’s list is one that solidifies rules over drinking alcohol near a city playground.
The council finalizes some new language in the city ordinance that would make it clear you can’t drink within 1,000 feet of a playground in a city park.
“The whole notion of playground and alcohol, they don’t go together,” La Crosse mayor Tim Kabat said. “They really don’t.”
The ordinance also bans drinking within 1,000 feet of public swimming areas in parks.
| LA CROSSE CENTER RENOVATION COST PLAN | |
| Highest Priorities | |
| Internal Remodel/Renovation | |
| $390,000.00 | Exterior Doors- Replace |
| $560,000.00 | HVAC- New building automation system |
| $200,000.00 | AV- Upgrade video projection to 16:9 |
| $2,840,000.00 | Roof- Replace |
| $280,000.00 | IT- Upgrade infrastructure (fiber) |
| $4,260,000.00 | Interior- Upgrade wall finishes |
| $540,000.00 | Telescoping seating- Replace |
| $1,060,000.00 | Sound system- Replace |
| $700,000.00 | Fixed seating- Replace |
| $100,000.00 | ADA seating- Bring to compliance |
| $840,000.00 | Restrooms- Increase capacity |
| $800,000.00 | Concessions- Increase capacity, variety |
| $70,000.00 | Guest Services- New spaces |
| $1,000,000.00 | Administration- Space for CVB offices |
| $120,000.00 | Back of House- Access to spots/fall protection |
| Back of House- Fire alarm system upgrade* | |
| $640,000.00 | * No corresponding cost for this item given in the Convergence analysis |
| $130,000.00 | Lighting- New LED |
| $100,000.00 | Sound System- Replace |
| $70,000.00 | Business Center- Create new space |
| $500,000.00 | Escalators- Rehab or replace |
| $15,200,000.00 | Internal Remodel/Renovation Total |
| West Side | |
| $10,800,000.00 | West Façade- New circulation, meeting rooms, (continuous balcony*) |
| $540,000.00 | Service Level- New service corridor |
| $6,300,000.00 | Upper Level- New ballroom |
| $17,640,000.00 | West Side Total |
| $32,840,000.00 | Highest Priorities Total |
| Second Tier Priorities | |
| $4,400,000.00 | East Façade- New general lobby |
| $1,120,000.00 | Exterior Signage- Large scale LED signage |
| $420,000.00 | Exterior- Medium scale LED signs at entries |
| $5,940,000.00 | Flow Total |
| $38,780,000.00 | Other |
| $250,000.00 | Sustainability- Solar/wind power, other upgrades |
| LEED- Certification or LEED compatible* | |
| Exterior- Upgrade Façade (more brick)* | |
| $12,800,000.00 | Radisson Center- Long range land use strategy |
| $1,250,000.00 | Parking Structure- Façade enhancements |
| $2,730,000.00 | Parking Structure- Large scale LED display |
| $17,030,000.00 | Other Total |
| $22,970,000.00 | Second Tier Priorities Total |
| $55,810,000.00 | Priorities Total |
| * No corresponding cost for this item given in the Convergence analysis | |
| Not Prioritized | |
| North Building | |
| $6,500,000.00 | Flexible theater- Raise roof, telescoping seats, acoustical upgrades |
| $100,000.00 | Exhibit/show power- Upgrade |
| $260,000.00 | Floor- New or new finish |
| $1,200,000.00 | Entry- New lobby on 2nd St. |
| $30,000.00 | Food Service- Permanent bar |
| $8,090,000.00 | North Building Total |
| South Building and Garage | |
| $1,260,000.00 | Ballroom- Expand prefunction toward river |
| $50,000.00 | Room signage- New LCD room signage |
| $450,000.00 | South Hall- New telescoping portable seating |
| $200,000.00 | Floor boxes- Replace with new |
| $1,960,000.00 | South Building and Garage Total |
| Arena Upgrades | |
| $580,000.00 | Arena lighting- New LED system |
| $1,550,000.00 | Scoreboard- New video system |
| $50,000.00 | Seating Bowl- Deep clean and reseal |
| $100,000.00 | Seating Bowl- Add supplement exhaust |
| $880,000.00 | Administration- Relocate |
| $60,000.00 | Box office- Expand to 6 windows |
| $500,000.00 | Back of House- Improve traffic flow |
| $200,000.00 | Back of House- Upgrade show power |
| $500,000.00 | Back of House- Review/upgrade power building-wide |
| $200,000.00 | Back of House- Security/ops space |
| $450,000.00 | Back of House- Upgrade dressing rooms |
| $70,000.00 | Back of House- New dock levelers |
| $5,140,000.00 | Arena Upgrades Total |
| General Upgrades | |
| $2,020,000.00 | Furnishings – Provide nwe for addes space |
| $2,020,000.00 | General Upgrades Total |
| $17,210,000.00 | Total Not Prioritized |
| $73,020,000.00 | Total Prioritized and Not Prioritized |
