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New attempt tonight at selling park board on $49 million La Crosse Center plan

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The city’s park board was supposed to get a look at improved designs for the La Crosse Center expansion two weeks ago but the regular monthly meeting was called off due to absences.

The board will try that meeting again tonight at City Hall to review the $49 million expansion.

Center board president Brent Smith predicts that park officials will like the more detailed designs for what would be called a ‘River Lobby’ extending over Riverside Park.

“The one, obviously, before was kind of just a white boxed imposed upon our current building,” Smith said. “And these are more realistic in what the different views would be from different spots around the Center.”

Improved designs meant improved reactions, as well, as compared to that “white box.”

“People described it as a white box or a spaceship, quite frankly,” Smith added. “Now to see this, how it looks, (has) been a very, very positive response, and how it will interact with the rest of the park.”

Smith and other representatives of the civic center have promised that regular park activities could continue under the extension, which would hang about 25 feet above Front Street and extend close to the Mississippi River.

Smith says approval by the park department is crucial.

“I don’t think we can proceed without park board approval,” he said. “From a legal point of view it’s absolutely necessary.”

The park board meets at 5:30 p.m. in the city council chambers.

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. DMkinard

    May 29, 2018 at 3:11 pm

    I VOTE NO on this proposal, No Right to steal our park for their gain. Last time I checked we aren’t getting more land. This whole thing has been in planning for years, with no one in the general public knowing it was going on. “Public Hearing” it would be “IF” the Public was made aware of it! Too sneaky for me and why so. This would expand the Center and someone’s wallet. Oh bye the way the North end of the park is next…anyone know about that. After all when the property on the Causeway is developed they will want that end of the park; mark my words on that! Time to fight this fight, this is totally unacceptable and unfair to the “residents.” The tourists go home, we live here!!!

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