Portion of Front Street, downtown, will soon close during La Crosse Center expansion

Front Street around the La Crosse Center will be closed beginning Jan. 2 and remain that way for the foreseeable future.

The affected closure will go between State and North streets, as well as Jay Street to South Street.

The La Crosse Center, built in 1980, is going through a expansion project and that portion of the street will be closed to traffic until that remodeling is complete.

The Center will conduct business as usual in the next couple of years, while much of the building gets a makeover.

Center board members have been told by contractors that, while construction happens at one part of the building, the other areas will go on with normal activity, hosting meetings and concerts.

The main arena will be shut down only for two months next summer, during a slow time of the year.

Concrete footings for a new, second ballroom are supposed to be installed this week.

The $42-million renovation of the Center is scheduled to be finished in December of 2021.