Roof repairs prompt city to proceed with bids on historic building

City already has $300,000
invested in building

The asking price from the city of La Crosse on an old building on the north side might get a little higher.

Just this month the city started a search for a developer to take on the project of the former Buzz’s Bikes building on Rose Street.

There’s already $300,000 invested in the 19^th-century bank building and attached Masonic Temple. Now, the city has discovered the roof needs repairs.

This week, the board of public works has declared that an emergency, allowing a special bid process to proceed so the repairs can be done right away.

Those repairs could reach tens of thousands of dollars. And both temple and bank would need extensive remodeling to become a viable commercial property.

The city bought the former bike shop in the spring and has owned the adjoined temple since last year.