Demolition begins soon for new downtown hotel

Demolition is expected to begin about July 15 on the former Northern Engraving manufacturing plant at 215 Pine St. in downtown La Crosse to make way for a new four-story, 126-room Hampton Inn & Suites hotel.

We plan to open in June 2015, said Kevin Page, one of the investors in La Crosse Hotel Group LLC, which will own the hotel. He also is a partner in Kothe Real Estate Partners, a real estate development and brokerage firm in Madison.

Demolition work on the old building is expected to last about a month, Page said. Construction work on the new hotels foundation is expected to begin in mid-August, he said.

In recent years, the old factory building has been used as a warehouse. Central States Warehouse CEO Cliff LeCleir bought it in 2007 and until 2010 it served as a warehouse for Sara Lee bakery in La Crosse.

LeCleir will be among the Madison- and La Crosse-area investors in La Crosse Hotel Group LLC, Page said. Some of the others include officials of Kothe Real Estate Partners; the general contractor, Landgraf Construction of Madison; and Great Lakes Management Group of Verona, which will manage the hotel.

The hotels address has not been assigned yet, but the main entrance will face Third Street.

The new Hampton Inn & Suites will target both business and leisure travelers, Page said, partly because of the many new downtown businesses and the many events held in the La Crosse area.

Weve been watching the market for years and have seen theres demand for a new hotel downtown, he said. Were excited to be working on a development in a thriving downtown.

Altra Federal Credit Union is providing the projects financing.

Its an approximately $10 million project, Page said.

Follow this link:
Demolition begins soon for new downtown hotel