La Crosse city council chambers due for makeover

A makeover is planned this year on the first floor of La Crosse’s City Hall. 

The city board of public works is being asked to approve new designs for the lobby and city council chambers, which have gone mostly unchanged since the building opened 51 years ago. 

Since the pandemic began, the permanent audience seats in the chamber have been removed. 

A proposed redesign would put the 13 city council members at one table in the front of the room, facing the audience instead of facing the mayor or the committee chair. 

Audience seating would be in movable chairs, instead of bolted-down theater seats. 

The redesign would coincide with a project to remove asbestos from City Hall. 

The council has had most of its meetings on Zoom during the pandemic, with very few people sitting in the City Hall council chamber. 

The suggested design resembles the look of the Onalaska city council chamber, and the La Crosse County board room.