Property Record
304 N 6TH ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | LaCrosse Vocational School-Coleman Building |
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| Other Name: | Western Wisconsin Technical College |
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| Reference Number: | 32351 |
| Location (Address): | 304 N 6TH ST |
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| County: | La Crosse |
| City: | La Crosse |
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| Year Built: | 1939 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 199620162017 |
| Historic Use: | small office building |
| Architectural Style: | Other Vernacular |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | Boyum, Schubert & Sorensen |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation-Public History. Exhibiting the Neo-classical influenced style commonly found in public and institutional buildings of the period, the facade of the two-story, light brick La Crosse Vocational Building is broken by a series of setbacks and topped by a Classical inspired parapet above the projecting moulded concrete cornice. A moulded concrete pediment over a keystone accented round arched door on the west and a pediment and frieze over the south doors are architectural details associated with the Neo-classical style. Designed by Otto Merman in 1923, the La Crosse Vocational School, part of the complex now known as Western Wisconsin Technical Institute, is historically important as the original structure associated with the Vocational School in La Crosse. Recessed central entrance bay with two story window over the triple door entrance with transom window with a design symbol of "trades" etched into the frosted glass; multi-paned plain windows. Originally designed to include an auditorium and classrooms--a PWA project in which city was awarded a grant of $172,001. Building constructed by general contractor Robert Regan of Chicago. 2016- "The La Crosse Vocational School Building (AHI No. 32352) and the Coleman Building (AHI No. 32351) comprise the original buildings associated with the La Crosse Vocational School. The La Crosse Vocational School Building was designed by prominent La Crosse architect Otto Merman in 1923 with a second-story addition designed by Merman in 1929. It is two-story, Neo-classical school building clad in brick and resting on a raised concrete foundation. The flat roof has a projecting cornice with a parapet that was recently covered in metal. The front (west) facade features an asymmetrical bay configuration and a series of setbacks that allow the narrow central bay to project forward. The historic main entrance is centered on the facade and has a rounded arch with keystone, pilasters, and an open pediment. The central bay is flanked by two wide setbacks on either side, each consisting of four bays. Windows are generally multipaned aluminum replacements. The Coleman Building was designed as a three-story annex to the La Crosse Vocational School Building by the architectural firm Boyum, Schubert, & Sorenson in 1939. It is attached to the vocation school building by a short, two-story brick hyphen that is now covered in metal siding. It has an irregular plan, rests on a concrete foundation, and is clad in cream brick with concrete panel veneer at the base. The roof is flat with metal coping that covers the original concrete cornice molding on the parapet. The historic main entrance was at the center of the front {west) facade; however, in 2015 the original door opening was converted to a window. Windows are generally multi-pane aluminum replacements. A Contemporary c.1990 entrance extends from the north elevation. The La Crosse Vocational School was established in 1912 as the result of legislation passed the previous year by the Wisconsin State Legislature, which required large cities in the state to establish technical schools. 20 At first the school operated out of a nearby elementary school, but in 1923 Merman was hired to design the La Crosse Vocational School building. Originally constructed as a one-story building, Merman also designed a second-story addition in 1929. The La Crosse Vocational School secured federal Public Works Administration {PWA) funding in 1938 to construct the Coleman Building. The school continued to expand post-World War II, and in 1969 developed a plan that envisioned the campus as a "mega-building" with substantial expansion.22 Renovations to the Coleman Building took place in 1971 and again between 2012 and 2016.23 While the shell of the La Crosse Vocational School Building and the Coleman Building remain, the early-twenty-first-century remodel completely overhauled the interior and side elevations." -"N 6th St: State St to Badger St", WisDOT#5991-05-27, Prepared by Mead & Hunt, Inc., (2016). 1996- "Mimicking the facade of the adjacent Otto Merman-designed structure, this three story, brick, educational facility was built in 1939. Resting on a concrete foundation and historically known as the Coleman Building, this structure lacks the Neo-Classical detailing of the adjacent building. Features are restricted to continuous concrete sills, a central, recessed bay with arched entrance and vertically set windows." - "La Crosse North/South Transportation Corridor", WisDOT ID #5991-04-00, Prepared by Heritage Research, Ltd. (1996). 2017 UPDATE - THE BUILDING LOOKS SUBSTANTIALLY LIKE IT DID WHEN LAST SURVEYED IN 2016. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. La Crosse Tribune, 2 January 1939, 31 December 1939. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |