Embracing the future, honoring the past
The River Point District neighborhood perfectly blends progressive thinking with reverence for the past. It honors La Crosse’s legacy as a booming river town, yet strives to support the city’s identity as a forward-thinking, integrated community of regional and international influence.
A site significant to La Crosse’s past, present and future
The River Point District neighborhood brings unlimited possibilities to a site rich in history. Revered by Native Americans for millennia, the site has always been abundant in native flora and fauna. The arrival of European settlers brought more trade and eventually transformed the point into a booming hub for river and rail commerce (logging especially).
Throughout the twentieth century, the land housed a variety of industrial endeavors. In the mid-1990s, the city of La Crosse renewed its efforts to reclaim the injured property and improve its use and position within the community. The creation of River Point District effectively restores economic viability and environmental sustainability to one of La Crosse’s most important geographical areas.
Land and history worth protecting
The River Point District shoreline overlooks the shipwreck site of the War Eagle, a Civil War era, sidewheel riverboat that sank in flames into the Black River in 1870. River Point District is also near the historical Peavey Site (named after the multi-purpose peavey logging tool), which housed a small number of artifacts pre-dating the settlement of La Crosse. River Point District will honor and help preserve both historical sites as well as the integrity of the overall area.
Careful preparation to create remarkable results
The City of La Crosse has been working toward creating the River Point District neighborhood since 1995, when it began buying parcels of land for development within the larger overall site. Throughout the following years, the Redevelopment Authority of the City of La Crosse has acquired and remediated the three primary former industrial properties within the project area and raised the site a minimum of two feet above the 100-year flood plain elevation.
Additional noteworthy milestones in the progress of the River Point District neighborhood include:
Fall 2014
Week-long charrette (master site planning process) completed using the National Charrette Institute’s NCI Charrette System™ and LEED ND® planning process
Spring 2016
Requests for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) document released to development companies and investors
November 2016
Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) document distributed to master developers
January 2017
Requests for Proposal (RFP) document distributed to master developers
February 2017
Amended RFP document distributed to master developers
May 2018
WiRED Properties, LLC, selected as master developer during a special Redevelopment Authority meeting
The City of La Crosse is currently expanding and refining infrastructure throughout the River Point District neighborhood site and working with developers and investors to inspire project interest and commitments.
Featured
May 22, 2020
City of La Crosse Redevelopment Authority approves proposal for work to begin on River Point District
LA CROSSE, Wis., May 21, 2020 – The City of La Crosse Redevelopment Authority (RDA) has approved a proposal by engineering firm Short Elliott Hendrickson (SEH) for work to begin on the River Point District neighborhood. Work will be done on the mixed-use waterfront neighborhood in a phased approach with phase 1 including the placement […]
News
December 19, 2019
Waterfront neighborhood development project on track with master plan and new brand
The River Point District neighborhood (formerly known as Riverside North), located just north of historic downtown La Crosse, continues its development into a sustainable, mixed-use waterfront neighborhood.
June 3, 2019
Riverside North development charrette overview
Get session highlights and attendee insights from the 7-day Riverside North project charrette.
April 18, 2019
Riverside North site plan offers look at development
Development in Riverside North will fan out from a central park toward the river and include a mix of housing and commercial options
May 24, 2018
La Crosse turning former industrial land into new neighborhood
The City of La Crosse chose a Milwaukee firm to be the master developer of a unique land redevelopment project almost 25 years in the making.