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Emerson site flagged as candidate for housing, with UWL interest and historic petition noted
Summary
Consultants said Emerson (57,600 sq ft, ~2.63 acres) could be reused for housing with partial demolition or redeveloped; the city has received a petition to consider Emerson as a local historic landmark and UW–La Crosse had previously shown buyer interest.
Consultants told the board that the Emerson site is 57,600 square feet on roughly 2.63 acres with 72 parking stalls and that the playground sits on city-owned Crowley Park (1.36 acres) not controlled by the district. They said Emerson’s building core might be adaptable for housing with partial demolition of later additions, though remediation and renovation costs could be substantial.
“UWL is an interested buyer,” the consultant said, while also noting the university’s prior interest had been constrained by budget. The presenter also flagged that the city has received a petition to designate Emerson as a local historic landmark, which could complicate demolition plans but might create incentives for historic rehab if preservation is pursued. Consultants recommended close coordination with city planning on zoning and any landmark process.
