Village Kitchen comes down for parking

Restaurant was in operation 40 years

The La Crosse city council has battled this month over whether to permit some demolition to make way for parking at Gundersen.

Meanwhile, demolition crews got started this week on making new parking at the Village Shopping Center in La Crosse by tearing down the former Village Kitchen and a couple of adjoining empty storefronts.

The restaurant had been in business for 40 years before abruptly closing this winter, not long after plans were revealed by Village Shopping Center owners to tear down the structure to add parking.

And, not unlike the fight over adding parking at Gundersen, some on the city council were opposed to removing the structure and losing the property tax base of the building for more pavement.