Approval still needed for architects on $35-47 million La Crosse Center renovation

Remodel to begin in 2018 and finish the following year.

Those in charge of the La Crosse Center expect to spend most of 2017 getting ready for a huge remodeling project.

Their choice of ISG and Gensler as architects for the now $35-million renovation will go to the city council for approval early in 2017. 

Center Board president Brent Smith says the board chose those companies because they were impressed by their abilities to narrow down what could be done, depending on how big the budget is.

The project will start at $35 million but could go up to $47 million if the state provides extra money.

Smith said visitors to the civic center have noticed that the building is showing its age.

“We haven’t done those upgrades, in some instances, for 35 years,” Smith said.

Construction is likely to begin in 2018 and wrap up the following year.

One place where no candidate apparently stuck out was with dealing with events and construction at the same time.

“One of the main things we asked all of the people, the architects that came, ‘How do you keep that building going, while the construction is taking place?'” Smith said. “They all had good answers on that. Because we want minimal disruption.”