Local entities are soliciting community input on the revitalization of Lacrosse’s South Side in the first session on Wednesday.
Will Kratt
Tribune file photo
ISG, an architecture, engineering and planning firm, has teamed up with Mayo Clinic Health System, Three Sixty Real Estate Solutions and Bourton Construction to incorporate resident input critical to the decision-making process to help shape the South Side neighborhood. We are working on potential enhancements.
This collaboration was fueled in part by Mayo’s new hospital, which is currently under construction. The hospital was designed to include green spaces and other neighborhood-friendly initiatives.
The new hospital is due to be completed in 2024, and “no other large-scale capital projects will be planned or funded at this time. Now is the time to work with our neighbors, partners and communities to create It’s time to create a shared vision for the future of La Crosse, says Will Cratt of ISG, which has been involved in many regional building projects, including the revamped Lacrosse Center.
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Jennifer Livingston, Director of Community Engagement, Mayo SW, Wisconsin, said: “We are also interested in knowing what our neighbors envision for the future. We want their needs and desires to be heard.”
The vision is to improve, support or implement healthcare and wellbeing, employee housing, neighborhood businesses, accessibility, equity and connectivity. According to Kratt, multiple focused discussions and plans have been underway with both private and public stakeholders over the years, and collaborative efforts have been made to bring ideas to the benefit of the community. It aims to “add intentionality and bottom-up structure” to
“With this investment and several recent improvements both large and small in this part of the community, the goal is to harness this new energy to foster continued investment in communities, societies and buildings well into the future. to do,” says Kratt.
Opportunities for community involvement begin on August 17 from 5:30-6:30 pm with a workshop at the Lincoln Middle School Commons. Partnership staff can answer questions, collect comments, and share maps and information.The purpose of the first meeting is to analyze the data collected, develop the concept and draft the desired outcome
In addition to the workshop, individuals can complete an online survey at https://isg.mysocialpinpoint.com/near-southside-neighborhood-visioning. His second community meeting, aimed at finalizing the desired outcome, will take place this fall on a date yet to be determined. Another meeting is scheduled prior to the publication of the Community Engagement Report. Your timeline is flexible.
“Process and response drive a lot of the schedule, but change is definitely possible,” says Kratt. “Without a concrete plan, there is no reason to rush this effort. If we can find commonalities and recurring themes, we may come up with ideas for addressing challenges by leveraging local strengths.”
The ultimate goal is to help redevelop underutilized assets to benefit communities and institutions. Create single-family and multi-family employee housing options. Offer neighborhood commercial options including grocery stores, retail stores, restaurants, offices and service providers. Extend pedestrian, bicycling, and public transport connectivity within the neighborhood and into other parts of the community. Improve the city’s tax base through city-planned development.
“Good community planning often requires action from the individual to the organizational level. says Kratt. “The success of small initiatives can help inform larger investments in the future.”
Funding for the project will come from a variety of sources, Kratt said, including crowdfunding, public and private donations, and support from charities and nonprofits.
While the focus is on the South, “it makes sense to find ways to build from energy and support investments in health, health, jobs and communities to harness and amplify those benefits.” says Kratt. Expand to other areas of the city.
“We hope this will be a future model for other parts of the community to leverage the strengths of their neighborhoods and partners to create alignment for future mutually beneficial investments,” said Kratt. says.
At this time, Mayo does not play a role in South Side’s determined plans and initiatives, but rather uses the conference to “gather input from nearby residents, businesses, and other organizations to develop long-term campus plans.” It helps us to let you know,” he said. Livingston says.
“We are not actively pursuing further development, but we may in the future,” adds Livingston. “When that day comes, we want to listen to the community from the beginning and have a truly collaborative process.”