Local
Is La Crosse’s old Kmart finally coming down?
The old Kmart in La Crosse has, perhaps, never been more popular today than when it first opened back in 1965. The buzz now, though, is when will it get demolished?
Jeremy Novak, vice president of development at Three Sixty Real Estate Solutions, joined WIZM’s La Crosse Talk on Tuesday to give an update on the long-delayed redevelopment project, renamed Copper Rocks.
La Crosse Talk airs weekdays at 6-8 a.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk wherever you get your podcasts.
Novak explains why construction hasn’t begun, since the 18-month extension granted by the city council, which expired June 30.
During that time, Novak notes that Three Sixty received a $250,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and began working on a TIF application — though the project will now need to go through rezoning again.
Back in January of 2022, Novak told WIZM demolition of the old Kmart was set for that summer. Tuesday, he again detailed the hurdles that have delayed the project. That was a similar timeline that Three Sixty owner Marvin Wanders told WIZM in May of 2021.
Before diving into the Kmart site, we touched on several other developments Three Sixty has underway in La Crosse — including the C&C Residences by the new Mayo hospital, the 48-unit Badger-West studio apartment complex near UW-La Crosse, and the mixed-use project at 7 Copeland Avenue in the River Point District.
Mary Hurley
July 1, 2025 at 9:42 pm
So what? What are they going to do? 360 Real Estate has had so many pathetic excuses. I think VSC a/k/a Festival Foods Dave Skogen has much more to do with the lack of progress. South siders want a replacement for K-Mart and Shopko. Ideally, Costco. But that won’t happen. Festival abhors the idea of competition. Competition is good for business.
Bryan P Devine
July 2, 2025 at 7:40 pm
Costco definitely
Sam
July 2, 2025 at 2:56 pm
It might be good to get rid of 360. They don’t keep their promises. They would only fit half of what they plan to build, if it get built at all. I think that another strip mall, or hotel would go nicely in there. There is room for a pool. It is on the corner of a state highway.
Costco would be great in a larger area, maybe Onalaska.
Lew
July 3, 2025 at 8:15 am
A great place for a Planet Fittnes
Bill
July 5, 2025 at 11:09 am
Eau Claire’s new Costco is actually in Chippewa Falls, north of town in a rapidly growing part of that metro.
A similar setting for the La Crosse market would be between Onalaska and Holmen with access to both highway 35 and 53 nearby.
An obstacle that may pause Costco, however, is projected growth. Eau Claire with it’s metro of nearly 100,000, is projecting growth of over 2% in the near future.
La Crosse, meanwhile, with it’s metro of around 80 thousand is not projecting similar growth. Closing of public schools is bad for a town’s image among developers. Years of liberals running government takes it’s toll
Steven
July 3, 2025 at 2:02 pm
Trader Joe’s
Jordan Sieben
July 3, 2025 at 6:27 pm
It should be the next ICE detention center for illegals. Round em up.
Jessica
July 4, 2025 at 3:50 pm
Most cities now have buildings with buisness on the bottom and apartments on top. That way there is always a profit in some way. I wish for a Costco or an aquarium but alas.