La Crosse students draft plans for Riverside North redevelopment

Ideas ranged from sports arena, to shopping center and a zoo.

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — An area school is incorporating the redevelopment of the Riverside North property in La Crosse into its lessons. 

For the past three years, seventh graders at Lincoln Middle School have teamed up for a community planning project. However, this year is a bit different.

Students designed what they think should go into the new Riverside North development, a prime piece of real estate just north of downtown La Crosse.

Their ideas ranged from a sports arena, to a shopping center and one group even put in a zoo.

Their designs will be on display at future planning meetings and some may actually be used in the redevelopment.

“It was hard because the first couple of days was just kind of getting down the planning thing, so then we had to throw it together in a couple of day,” said student Cole Koopman.

“It would be really cool to see your idea, just like a piece of paper, on an actual piece of land,” said student Maddy Slade.

La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat awarded the top four ideas in a special presentation Monday at the school.