Old Roosevelt Elementary close to being named Historic Place

Proposal to add old school building to registry of historic places to be voted on Friday

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — An old school building in La Crosse could soon be labeled as a historic site.

The former Roosevelt Elementary School is being considered for the historic designation by the Wisconsin Historic Preservation review board.

The building has been empty ever since the La Crosse School District moved into the new Northside Elementary and sold the building to a developer.

Preservation Alliance of La Crosse President Barbara Kooiman says if the former school building is deemed a historic site, it would open up tax credits for the developer, making it easier to make renovations.

“It’s good for our local economy, it’s good for saving a building, it’s good for the environment, and it’s keeping a part of the city’s heritage intact,” said Kooiman.

Roosevelt Elementary was originally built in the 1920s. A vote on the building’s historic status will be held on Friday.