News

Many eyes sit on Bridgeview Plaza, on the City's Northside, for improving the entrance to the community. The strip mall was formerly home to Shopko along Hwy. 53 and I-90. 

City of La Crosse Planning Director Andrea Trane stated the new, local owners of this property are working through some long-term lease issues in hopes their vision can become reality. 

“This is identified as a significant node as part of the Highway 53 plan," said Trane. [see related story]. “We created a TIF to provide financial incentives to ensure this happens.

A TIF is a tax-incremental-finance district. It is one of the City's few tools to encourage development of commercial properties within set areas.  As properties improve, their tax base increases. While the pre-improvement property taxes still go into the City's general fund, the community places increased revenue due to improvements into a segregated account for a period of time (ex. 20 years). The City uses these funds to pay back infrastructure improvements (roads, sewer, parks, etc.) or other improvements in the designated district.

One block of Caledonia Street between Clinton and St. Paul Streets could become a historic district if an application with the state goes through. 

Tim Acklin, La Crosse City Senior Planner, stated at the NLBA meeting in September. With the designation comes zoning regulations for this section as wall as, Acklin stated, “Allows [businesses] to apply for state and federal tax credits as they fix the exterior of their building and upgrades.”

To read more about the district, read the La Crosse Tribune article.

Acklin can be reached at (608) 789-7391 or
acklint@cityoflacrosse.org

As the North La Crosse Business Association (NLBA) is advocating for funding to improve the Highway 53 corridor, Tim Acklin with La Crosse's City Planning attended the September NLBA meeting to provide an update. 

The City Council approved the plan in 2018 after several NLBA members, residents, and others participated in an 18-month planning process. The result -- the identification of pockets, or “nodes”, for enhancement opportunities on the City's Northside. The group believes these nodes will create a ripple effect to surrounding properties upon development. Bridgeview Plaza was one of the top priorities. 

The City looks to the NLBA to champion and implement the plan, which can be found here >>. Two requests for funding have faced funding challenges with the City.

UPDATE: the City reported that funds allocated in the past are still available, although some projects have pulled from the allocated funds. The NLBA will be meeting to spend the money.

Tim Acklin can be reached at 608.789.7391 or acklint@cityoflacrosse.org

Julie Emslie attended the NLBA September meeting as leading the economic development area inside the City of La Crosse City Planning Department.

Julie's goals: grow local businesses, facilitate expansion, and recruit outside businesses to locate in the City of La Crosse to increase the quality of living, add well-paying jobs and grow tax base.

She highlighted business opportunities for growth: 

• The City’s Public Input forms regarding usage of the American Rescue Plan Act dollars: https://www.cityoflacrosse.org/Home/Components/News/News/613/16
• More information on the $10,000 Bounceback grants from WEDC:https://wedc.org/programs-and-resources/mainstreet-bounceback-grants/
• 
  

If folks are ready to apply, they should email Dave at the Mississippi River Regional

 Planning Commission to request an application: plan@mrrpc.com MRRPC is facilitating the applications for the City of La Crosse (and the wider region). Along with a completed application, applicants will be required to submit an Acknowledgement Letter from an authorized body, to which the City of La Crosse qualifies. I am happy to assist with this portion of the application.

• Program Guidelines for Northside Façade Improvement Grants:https://www.cityoflacrosse.org/home/showpublisheddocument/1796/637154741792730000

Application for Northside Façade Improvement Grants: https://www.cityoflacrosse.org/home/showpublisheddocument/1794/637154741789130000

Julie can be reached at 608.789.7393 or emsliej@cityoflacrosse.org.

Oktoberfest is once again holding their pancake breakfast at the Boys & Girls Club - Erickson Club (BGC) on Saturday, September 29. In a great triple-win partnership, when the North La Crosse Business Association (NLBA) helps sell tickets, the NLBA + Oktoberfest +  the Boys & Girls Clubs.

This fundraiser, in years prior, is about 20% of the NLBA income, used to help make your business and the Northside even better.

NLBA sent each member five (5) tickets - which costs only $25 - plus a stamped envelope to either:

1. Remit the $25 payment and return the tickets, we will donate them to the Boys & Girls Club for kids and parents to come to the breakfast, helping those in need.
2. Remit the $25 payment for the 5 tickets, and join us at the breakfast.
3. Return the tickets to us at: PO Box 402, La Crosse, WI 54602

For more information, email us.

Spring Clean-up

TEAM up to clean UP

Logan & Lower Northside Neighborhood Associations

welcome you to dispose of large and other unwanted items

Saturday, August 14

9:00 - Noon

Trinity Lutheran Church, Parking Lot (1010 Sill St)

If you need help disposing of items, email logannorthside@gmail.com

DONATIONS ACCEPTED & APPRECIATED

items not accepted:

Shameless-Self Promoting filled the August Meeting Room

North La Crosse Business Association members were told to come ready to shamelessly self-promote, and they did not disappoint.

Here's some fun “betcha didn't knows” from fellow businesses helping grow the Northside.

• Who helped bring the flashing beacon medians to protect people crossing Copeland to get to the park? The Lower Northside & Depot Neighborhood Association
• Which neighborhood group also covers the north side of La Crosse? The Logan Northside
• What is the Northside's only grocery store? Festival
• Who recently opened a neighborhood center in Boot Hill Pub? La Crosse Park & Rec as a senior center and more.
• Who helped bring all the fishing tournaments this summer to town? Explore La Crosse (La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau)
• How can you get in front of the college students with your part-time job openings? Send your business name, contact information and positions to Neal Zygarlicke at the Chamber of Commerce. 
• Which Caledonia Street business makes a product that has won many awards? DNA Vintners for their wine.
• Which bank takes pride and is extra engaged on the Northside? River Bank
• How many businesses are inside The Coulee Region Business Center, a  business incubator on the Northside? 17 
• How many times has Mark Jewellers moved within the same 1200 block of Caledonia Street? 4
• Which business sells welding supplies throughout Wisconsin, most of Minnesota and northeast Iowa out of their Northside location? Mississippi Welders Supply
• The owner of which northside company said, "We like shows that are bawdy, adult, sexy"? The Muse Theatre
• Which 17-year La Crosse Footwear occupant also has a nonprofit that gives back to the community? Pearl Street Brewery and Sprout for Kids Foundation 
• Which Northside restaurant's multi-generational roots are proudly displayed in their 30-year-old name? Pogy's Catering & Pogreba
• Which media company on the Northside spins out a lot of vinyl? Lamar Advertising
• What Northside church is the only member of the NLBA because he sees the connection between businesses and his members? The Northside Community Church
• Whose name, humorously, came up several times as the reason they joined the NLBA? Dan Kapanke with The La Crosse Loggers

La Crosse Police Chief Shawn Kudron wants to change your first impression of seeing a police officer.

"We are members of the Coulee Region, just like all of you," he said while talking to the members of the North La Crosse Business Association (NLBA) at their June meeting. Kudron spoke alongside Neighborhood Resource Officers (NROs) Trent Bowe & Michael Vo, who attend every NLBA meeting. The two officers interact with the Lower Northside Depot neighborhood. "When I go home at night, I try to figure out what to make for dinner for my kids ... we're people just like you. This is just our job," Kudron said. There are ten NROs serving La Crosse.

"I won't minimize what is happening [nationally]," Kudron said, "But what our guys are doing here 99.9% of the time is not tragic, it's what this community needs." Sometimes those needs are as simple as finding a kid a better pair of shoes, thanks to Trinity church.

Kudron says here's how you help:

1. Be intentional interacting. Accept officers "with open arms". Invite them in. Say hello. Get to know them. Coming out of the pandemic is an opportunity to build relationships in a way police haven't been able to before.
2. Tell them how they can serve you better. The police see themselves as problem solvers. "We can build [a relationship] with you, with your company, with your employees, with your families, with your friends, so that we can build a stronger community," Kudron said. "Police officers are here to serve your needs, to serve you, to serve your neighbors -- not to be painted in a negative light ... because that's not reality."
3. Be ready for them to engage with businesses more. The pandemic switched their focus. While they will always respond to accidents, domestic violence and [other calls], ... these guys are pretty excited about what can happen moving forward.
4. Partner with them to strengthen the community. Officer Bowe said they are "kicking off a lot of partnerships" with the Boys & Girls Clubs, getting to know more kids to be proactive and preventative with juvenile crime. Officer Bowe said they partnered with Uptowne Cafe to provide meals. 
5. Connect to hire "second chance" individuals. Police can bring employees to you. Officer Bowe says if believes people are "turning a new leaf, we might be able to find them an entry-level position that may not have a lot of responsibility, but can get them back into the workforce.".
6. Be vocal, don't handle minor incidences yourself. Officer Vo said whether  it's unsheltered people, or lighting, even if it's something not urgent, call the NROs directly. Officer Vo says they want to get ahead of minor issues before they grow.
7. Provide your after-hours contact information for when they respond after-hours, perhaps to your business.
8. Register your video cameras. Not for them to control it, but for when an incident happens near your property (business or home), they can look at your video.  Register it here >>
9. Spread the Positive. Chief Kudron shared the story of Officer Graves who completed his last day serving as the Student Resource Officer (SRO) at Logan High School. Officer Graves' father was the first SRO at Logan. Officer Graves is now the last. When something positive happens, share it on Facebook. They are trying. Like their page >>. 
10. Be understanding when not all calls end in someone being arrested. Many officers are injured during physical confrontations. "We do what we can do reduce the likelihood of having to engage in any kind of physical force," Kudron said. "Sometimes that look slike we're being soft ... what we're trying is to look at the system and achieve the same results." Kudron said they want to approach situations smarter -- lowering the risk for the healthy and wellness of the officers that are serving us.

A business owner asked about homelessness. The chief said it is the number one issue they confront. For certain individuals they try to call the person's family members to help. They have placed individuals in apartments, but they are often the source of complaints from neighbors, making it difficult for landlords to continue to house them when faced with losing tenants. Chief Kudron believes everyone needs to be intentional about coming together and finding solutions.

CELL PHONE CONTACT INFO:

• Officer Trent Bowe: 507.312.9301
• Officer Michael Vo: 608.571.5007

NLBA Reboots Dues for 2021

2021 is here!  The masks are disappearing and the world is reengaging with your business! We are proud of what we did in 2020 through  the $72,000 Get On Living Safely campaign:

• The most active business organization in our region on social media during COVID
• We connected more than 40,000 people with small, local businesses through GOLS! They responded with overwhelming positive feedback, continuing still today.

As we look to 2021, our work continues beyond GOLS.  Based on your feedback as members, we’ve defined three areas of focus for our mission:

• United Voice:  we must grow our voice. COVID stole the voice of small business. We must be heard with more power and relevance.
• Advocacy:  With our united voice, we can be stronger advocates with local/state/federal elected officials.  Moving from “Reactive to Proactive” in our efforts for advocacy.
• Recovery:  The COVID crisis brought our plight as small business to fever pitch.  As we look to recovery, we must educate and market to both Consumers and Businesses.  Educate the consumer as to why Small Business is so important to them and what they can do to help.  Educate ourselves with the tools we need in our dynamic world.  Marketing: we must continue to market ourselves via social and traditional media, to stay in front of the consumer.

We all know our mission is important and it needs funding to continue.  In conjunction with our annual dues renewal we’ve added options to simplify our ask and grow our organization.  If you’re proud of what we’ve done and you believe in where we are going, contribute what you can and get engaged.  

Become Part of the Growth

We have a new database for our membership so we're asking you to select which level of membership you would like to invest in to help us grow. 

Apply Here>>