Posted 9:40 p.m. Thursday, July 21, 2011
Crews started tearing down two vacant homes on 17th and La Crosse streets Thursday to make way for a new parking ramp and police station at UW-La Crosse.
[caption id="attachment_4393" align="alignright" width="400" caption="Crews tear down two vacant homes on 17th and La Crosse streets."]
[/caption]Crews started tearing down two vacant homes on 17th and La Crosse streets Thursday to make way for a new parking ramp and police station at UW-La Crosse.
UW-L purchased the homes from the occupants in 2003-04, says Bob Hetzel, UW-L vice chancellor for administration and finance. They have since been used for storage.
A brown duplex remains at 16th and La Crosse streets. The university has reached an agreement with the owner to purchase it. The owner plans to relocate the home at the end of the 2011-12 school year and continue renting it.
In May 2012 construction is anticipated to start on a new parking ramp and police administration building at the site. The new parking ramp will likely be ready for cars in fall 2013. The project, which was included in [caption id="attachment_4397" align="alignright" width="400" caption="A brown duplex at 16th and La Crosse streets will be moved."]
[/caption]the state’s capital budget, will have about 600 parking spaces. An 8,600-square-foot police building will be on the ramp’s east side.
The current police station, located in an old home at East Avenue and Farewell Street, will be demolished when a new student union is constructed in the parking lot of Wimberly Hall.
The estimated $12 million parking ramp and police station would be paid for by an estimated $78 increase in annual parking permits, which now cost $210 for commuters and $265 for residence hall parkers.
The ramp has initial approval from the UW System Board of Regents and State of Wisconsin. After the design is approved, UW-L hopes to go out to bid in early 2012.
[caption id="attachment_4411" align="alignright" width="400" caption="The new parking ramp will be built on the campus’ north side near La Crosse, 16th, 17th and Farwell streets. This photo, taken from Wimberly Hall, shows the site, directly west of the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center."]
[/caption]Prior to the building demolition, La Crosse firefighters did a number of drills at the site. They practiced cutting holes in the ceiling using saws, a tactic used in certain conditions to allow smoke and heat to vent from a building, says Greg Temp, captain with the La Crosse Fire Department. They also practiced ladder rescues from a second level window.
“We got a lot of use out of the houses,” says Temp. “To be able to go out and train is so important because, in a matter of a couple seconds, you may need to be able to perform this for real.”
Learn more about the parking ramp and police administration building.
[/caption]Crews started tearing down two vacant homes on 17th and La Crosse streets Thursday to make way for a new parking ramp and police station at UW-La Crosse.
UW-L purchased the homes from the occupants in 2003-04, says Bob Hetzel, UW-L vice chancellor for administration and finance. They have since been used for storage.
A brown duplex remains at 16th and La Crosse streets. The university has reached an agreement with the owner to purchase it. The owner plans to relocate the home at the end of the 2011-12 school year and continue renting it.
In May 2012 construction is anticipated to start on a new parking ramp and police administration building at the site. The new parking ramp will likely be ready for cars in fall 2013. The project, which was included in [caption id="attachment_4397" align="alignright" width="400" caption="A brown duplex at 16th and La Crosse streets will be moved."][/caption]the state’s capital budget, will have about 600 parking spaces. An 8,600-square-foot police building will be on the ramp’s east side.
The current police station, located in an old home at East Avenue and Farewell Street, will be demolished when a new student union is constructed in the parking lot of Wimberly Hall.
The estimated $12 million parking ramp and police station would be paid for by an estimated $78 increase in annual parking permits, which now cost $210 for commuters and $265 for residence hall parkers.
The ramp has initial approval from the UW System Board of Regents and State of Wisconsin. After the design is approved, UW-L hopes to go out to bid in early 2012.
[caption id="attachment_4411" align="alignright" width="400" caption="The new parking ramp will be built on the campus’ north side near La Crosse, 16th, 17th and Farwell streets. This photo, taken from Wimberly Hall, shows the site, directly west of the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center."][/caption]Prior to the building demolition, La Crosse firefighters did a number of drills at the site. They practiced cutting holes in the ceiling using saws, a tactic used in certain conditions to allow smoke and heat to vent from a building, says Greg Temp, captain with the La Crosse Fire Department. They also practiced ladder rescues from a second level window.
“We got a lot of use out of the houses,” says Temp. “To be able to go out and train is so important because, in a matter of a couple seconds, you may need to be able to perform this for real.”
Learn more about the parking ramp and police administration building.