Parts of La Crosse north-side fire station plan move ahead, as city waits for historic designation

City leaders in La Crosse are moving ahead with planning for a new north-side fire station, while waiting to see if the 80-plus-year-old firehouse is declared a historic building. 

The city plan commission approved proposals Monday to vacate the alley behind Fire Station 4 on Gillette Street and rezone some residential land on the block for public use. 

Fire Chief Ken Gilliam said a historic designation will change plans for the new station.

“So, if it’s designated as historic and the council supports doing something else without a fire station, we’ll change scope and it’ll take a few months of new architectural design,” Gilliam said.

The original plans for a new station depended on the existing firehouse being torn down, which many citizens oppose.

The city council judiciary committee will discuss a referral of the project Tuesday night.

North-side council member Andrea Richmond says demolition of old homes for a new station needs to proceed.

“It’s time to get these buildings taken down,” Richmond said. “I think it’s going to be a serious issue if you aren’t taking ’em down pretty soon.”

The commission called for a 30-day delay for a work permit on the station project until a decision is made on whether to grant the existing firehouse historic status.