La Crosse Center renovation could hear proposal from design company March 2

City council must approve board’s choice for $35-million remodel.

Just a few more steps before plans to overhaul the La Crosse Center get underway.

The La Crosse city council needs to go along with the Center board’s recommendation that ISG head the design. A proposal will be heard on March 2 at a special meeting.

The scope of the project also depends on how much money is available for construction. Low-end estimate are around $35 million.

ISG architect Kevin Bills says early plans for renovating the Center, built in 1980, may be replaced by other ideas coming from the public:

“Whether we spend a significant amount of money on the exterior or not, is really going to be a stakeholder decision,” Bills said. “We’re going to present ideas on what the possibilities could be and see where that goes.”

Bills told the center board that a modern exterior for the center might include more windows and natural light. He added that the updated civic arena should fit in well with its surroundings, including the riverfront and Pearl St.

ISG has worked on other downtown projects such as the Weber Center and the Court Above Main.