CEO promotes new $32 million senior living facility

There seems to be more than one meaning to the expression ‘growing old.’

Bethany Lutheran Homes CEO Todd Wilson said that the older population is growing in the La Crosse area, leading to a demand for more senior housing.

“Demographics show that the number of people aged 85 and older will grow between 18-25 percent here in La Crosse over the next five years and will continue to grow until the year 2050,” Wilson said.

Wilson says the expansion to Eagle Crest South in La Crosse will help meet city projections for increasing population density in parts of the city.

When 181 new units open at Eagle Crest two years from now, there will be about 50 residents per acre on the site, compared to 23 an acre now.

Wilson says offering more housing specifically for seniors will help open up single-family homes for younger residents.

“They move into these facilities and they put their homes up for sale,” he said. “These homes are usually purchased by young families generally with children and it’s very important to have these types of facilities bc it maintains a healthy economic balance within the community.”

The $32 million expansion to Eagle Crest is also expected to add about 40 new jobs in La Crosse and increase the multi-million dollar investment Bethany has made in the area.