La Crosse preservation panel to consider historic status for old south-side library

At the same time that one La Crosse city commission is pondering what to do with a former library, another committee is considering granting landmark status to that same building.

The Heritage Preservation Commission took a preliminary vote Thursday in favor of declaring the old South Branch library as a landmark.

Local preservationist David Riel told the commission that the library built in the 1950s replaced an old barrack building at Powell Park, which had drawbacks during severe weather.

Riel described the building’s appearance in an old photo as a “corn crib.”

Riel has done research showing that the city tried to build the library and the Memorial swimming pool at the same time in the 1930s.

However, after the pool on State Street was completed, Riel said “there wasn’t enough money left over for a library. And in World War II, there were building supply issues, and so they didn’t have the resources to construct a new building, so it wasn’t until 1951 when the residents of La Crosse put the issue on the ballots to be voted on.”

On Wednesday, a development committee heard offers from groups that want to repurpose the old library. One request would be to tear down the building.

Riel argued that the structure is worth keeping and most of the proposals presented called for it to be preserved.

The preservation commission has planned a public hearing at its May meeting about the historic status of the South Branch building.