City commission turns down application from Kwik Trip to tear down Losey Blvd home

Forget the quid pro quo. La Crosse’s city hall is apparently having none of it from Kwik Trip.

The city plan commission Monday overwhelmingly turned down an application from Kwik Trip to tear down a small home the company owns on Losey Boulevard.

In a demolition application, Kwik Trip cited its expansion plans as a reason to allow the house removal without penalty from the city.

Gary Padesky represents that area on the city council and says he certainly appreciates how Kwik Trip growth benefits the city.

“They’re a very big company, they’re a very good company,” Padesky said Monday afternoon on WIZM. “They pay a lot of taxes. And we help them but we also, though, have to protect the sanctity of the neighborhood.”

Kwik Trip planned to tear down the house at 1003 Losey Blvd., and just plant some grass.

Part of the reason the planning commission declined the request was because that type of single-family, medium-priced home are needed in the city.

“We don’t want to demolish our housing stock, especially in nice areas and potentially very nice houses,” Padesky said.

If the demolition denial is upheld by the city council, it appears the company intends to let the house stay vacant until the city orders it to get razed.