La Crosse Redevelopment Authority Meeting: River Point District Actions, April 24, 2026

The City of La Crosse Redevelopment Authority met on April 24, 2026, in Council Chambers at City Hall, 400 La Crosse Street. Source materials supplied for this summary are dated Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.; this date discrepancy is noted rather than silently resolved. No agenda was supplied. The meeting opened at 4:00 p.m. with six members present and Edward R. Przytarski excused; Michael Sigman arrived at 4:08 p.m. and left at 5:26 p.m. The board approved minutes, received a River Point District project update, approved Lot 11/12 planning agreements, accepted the April financial report, and acted on two closed-session negotiation items before adjourning in closed session at 5:35 p.m.

Discussion Items

• Project Manager Update (26-0437): RDA project manager Jason McGillman reported that War Eagle and The Lofts are now occupied, with all but five units leased in the 100-unit building and 50% of The Lofts units committed. He said 42 townhouses on Lots 1 and 2 will be built in phases with occupancy estimated between July and October 2027, and that 360 Real Estate, MSP, and Red Earth are expected to start or continue work in 2026. He also described the Renter Economic Stability Program, funded by a Community Foundation grant, as a potential workforce-housing incentive being discussed with employers and financial firms, and said it could serve rental buildings across the city and region rather than only River Point District.
• Certified Survey Map and Planning Option Agreements (26-0436, 26-0441, 26-0439, 26-0440): Staff explained that Lot 11 will be split into Lot 1 (1.1 acres for RyKey Properties, planned for a 60-unit apartment building) and Lot 2 (0.34 acres for Cowboy Jacks/Capital Investment Partners LLC). The original PDD had shown two 7,000 sq ft buildings on Lot 11, one 12,000 sq ft building on Lot 12, and a 50-stall parking lot on Lot 11; the approved approach shifts parking to Lot 12 and allows more building volume on Lot 11. The board approved the certified survey map and the three option agreements, changing the placeholder "Cap Vest" to Capital Investment Partners, LLC for Lots 11-2 and 12.
• Lot 12 Parking and Design Discussion: Bill Albright, representing Capital Investment Partners/Cowboy Jacks, presented a Lot 12 parking-area design developed with landscape architect Paul Nelson. It includes switchback access, native and fruit-bearing plantings, connections to the park trail, possible shared public/farmers-market use before the restaurant opens, and a solar feasibility review. Albright stated Cowboy Jacks' current 90-space lot is full from about 4 or 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., that 45 spaces are Cowboy Jacks-only and 45 are city spaces, and that a city-built bypass lot of about 80-100 spaces is underused; he also said the Altoona restaurant drew 25,500 visitors last year and argued that the restaurant would bring the traffic needed to make River Point's commercial spaces succeed. A participant identified in the transcript as Councilmember Trost, though not listed in the official roll call, questioned the need for 90 spaces, said the city had just eliminated minimum parking requirements, and said she would not support what she called "flippant use of surface parking" on expensive land. Councilmember Janssen expressed support for the design and confidence in Albright's experience; Councilmember Ostrem said the lot has limited feasible uses and dedicated parking is needed; Councilmember Henline asked that the public/community space between Cowboy Jacks and Lot 12 be evaluated in addition to parking. Staff noted that PDD guidance identifies parking as critical to commercial development, that the original PDD included extensive off-street parking, and that the Lot 12 concrete monolith is roughly football-field-size, 9-11 feet deep, with removal likely costing over $1 million.
• Monthly Financial Update (26-0414): The April financial update was presented for awareness; no questions were raised, and it was accepted and filed as presented.
• Preliminary Term Sheet for RyKey Properties (26-0442): Julie Henline said RyKey's TIF application had been reviewed the previous day by the Economic and Community Development Commission, which unanimously approved the term sheet. Lee Haremza summarized a proposed 60-unit general-occupancy building on Lot 11-1, including high-end facade materials, floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies for about 90% of units, EV charging stations, and a large amenity package, while noting the organic riverbed soil will require deeper footings, larger geopiers, and vapor mitigation. He described the requested assistance as an 85% pay-as-you-go TIF rebate over 20 years, with a guaranteed project assessed value of $8.522 million, guaranteed construction cost of $13.58 million, and a land sale amount of $275,000 consistent with Lot 8.

Closed Session

• Items 26-0428 and 26-0442 were noticed for closed session under Wis. Stat. 19.85(1)(e) to discuss negotiation strategies. The board moved into closed session at 4:49 p.m. on a motion by Janssen, seconded by Henline. Formal votes on both items are recorded below; the meeting was adjourned in closed session at 5:35 p.m.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the March meeting minutes (motion Fimple/Henline, voice vote).
• Approved the Certified Survey Map submittal for Lot 11 (motion Janssen/Fimple, voice vote).
• Approved the Planning Option Agreement with RyKey Properties for Lot 11-1 (motion Ostrem/Sigman, voice vote).
• Approved the Planning Option Agreement with Capital Investment Partners, LLC for Lot 11-2, with the entity name corrected from Cap Vest (motion Ostrem/Janssen, voice vote).
• Approved the Planning Option Agreement with Capital Investment Partners, LLC for Lot 12, with the entity name corrected from Cap Vest (motion Janssen/Ostrem, voice vote).
• Accepted and filed the April 2026 financial update; no formal motion was recorded.
• Denied the purchase offer from 7 Copeland, LLC for parcels 17-20400-210 and 17-20400-234 after closed session (motion Janssen/Fimple, voice vote).
• Approved the Preliminary Term Sheet for public assistance to RyKey Properties for Lot 11 (motion Janssen/Ostrem, voice vote).
• Adjourned in closed session at 5:35 p.m.