La Crosse committee endorses ‘pocket park,’ and Market Street bakery

A “pocket park” being planned in north La Crosse received support Tuesday from a La Crosse council committee.

The proposal to convert part of a parking lot on Caledonia Street between Clinton and St. Paul Streets to a public space was approved by the city’s Judiciary and Administration Committee.

The legislation moves to the full city council next week.

The planned park, referred to as a “vibrant space,” would be developed on the east side of Caledonia Street and take up about a third of existing off-street parking.

In other committee business, a proposed bakery on Market Street received another vote of approval, following a similar vote on Monday by the City Plan Commission.

The panel accepted a reduced plan for a one-story cafe and bakery at 1513 Market Street.

A zoning change was requested for the project, because a second-floor residential space has been removed from the plans.

A rezoning also was approved to allow an expansion of the St. Clare Health Mission on the 400 block of Jackson Street.

The change in zoning would allow St. Clare to double the size of the building at that location.