Affordable housing, county office space could be future of old Lincoln Middle building

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- The old Lincoln Middle School building could soon be transformed into affordable rental units and county office space.

The La Crosse school district announced this January that it's planning to sell the building to Commonwealth Development Corporation of America (CDC) and the Wisconsin Partnership for Housing Development.

In a release, the school district wrote CDC is a " prominent figure in affordable housing development."

Affordable rental units are in high demand in La Crosse. According to city officials, in the last decade rent in La Crosse has increased 42%.

The Lincoln Middle School development could provide relief, with city officials saying the project is set to include around 50-units of affordable housing.

"Housing is really the cornerstone of basic need," said Isaac Hoffman, the director of La Crosse Area Family Collaborative. LAFC is a neighborhood-based social work program. "We're hopeful that the addition of affordable housing will allow more families to not just be okay but to thrive."

On top of affordable units, the development will house neighborhood offices for the LAFC and Youth System of Care. Hoffman says the building's central location makes their services more accessible.

"Setting up shop where families are residing and having spaces that are welcoming and comfortable is what we strive to do and so this project will allow us to continue to do that."

There's still a long way to go for the development.

"Especially with affordable housing projects or projects that have rent controls incorporated within them, having tax credits that are offered at the state and federal level is really a necessity," said Julie Emslie, Economic Development Administrator for the city of La Crosse. "So, they need to go through the process of applying for those tax credits, which is a very competitive process."

Once financing is sorted out, the city council will have to approve the proposal. While it's still some years away from completion, Emslie says it's worth the wait.

"We want to see this property reused in a great way ... it's exciting to see this come forward."

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