Kabat: City “will do whatever we can” to help Valley View Mall with big retailer losses

At one time, it was the most vital economic property in La Crosse.

Now, the Valley View Mall needs help. It remains one of the Top 3 property taxpayers in La Crosse.

So there’s almost no way the city won’t get involved with trying to keep the Valley View Mall afloat — even if it becomes something other than just a shopping mall, says La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat.

With the announcement, this week, that Sears is moving out, three of four big retailer spots in the mall will be empty.

While Kabat pledges city resources to keep help the mall, does the city need to do that?

“I think the city does, because when you look at it from a property tax and economic impact, that’s very vital to the city and the larger region,” Kabat said.

The mayor envisions a potential repurposing of the mall that might include adding some residential space in the mall or in the surrounding parking lot. The mall, and conjoined box stores, are worth a total of close to $70 million and generate property tax revenue of $1.8 million annually.

So, there’s not much choice, says Kabat.

“I do think the city has a role to play and I’m not sure, as of yet, what that might be,” he said. “If it’s helping to look for other uses, mixed use, residential or other types of commercial, I know that we’ll do whatever we can to help.”

It was a city-arranged tax incremental finance district that led to the mall getting built in the late 1970s.