Vote coming on $1-million agreement between La Crosse city and county

Deal was part of Belle Square development.

The $1 million promise could be fulfilled by the La Crosse County board Thursday.

Supervisors could vote on Thursday to pay $1 million to the City of La Crosse, with a little interest, as part of a deal which led to the sale of the old courthouse square to Weber Holdings for development of Belle Square.

“Basically, city and county made this agreement back in 2015,” County administrator Steve O’Malley said. “This is part of the financing that both parties agreed to, as far as proceeding with the Third and Vine ramp.”

O’Malley added that the city’s end of the bargain includes reserving 85 spaces in the ramp, exclusively for county workers. The county had to give up an entire block of surface parking when construction of Belle Square started in 2015.   

The ramp on the old Collins Sign company property on 3rd St. should open in August.