New attempt tonight at selling park board on $49 million La Crosse Center plan

The city’s park board was supposed to get a look at improved designs for the La Crosse Center expansion two weeks ago but the regular monthly meeting was called off due to absences.

The board will try that meeting again tonight at City Hall to review the $49 million expansion.

Center board president Brent Smith predicts that park officials will like the more detailed designs for what would be called a ‘River Lobby’ extending over Riverside Park.

“The one, obviously, before was kind of just a white boxed imposed upon our current building,” Smith said. “And these are more realistic in what the different views would be from different spots around the Center.”

Improved designs meant improved reactions, as well, as compared to that “white box.”

“People described it as a white box or a spaceship, quite frankly,” Smith added. “Now to see this, how it looks, (has) been a very, very positive response, and how it will interact with the rest of the park.”

Smith and other representatives of the civic center have promised that regular park activities could continue under the extension, which would hang about 25 feet above Front Street and extend close to the Mississippi River.

Smith says approval by the park department is crucial.

“I don’t think we can proceed without park board approval,” he said. “From a legal point of view it’s absolutely necessary.”

The park board meets at 5:30 p.m. in the city council chambers.