Upper Living tours offer peek into unique La Crosse apartments in historic downtown buildings [La Crosse Tribune, Wis.]

Oct. 11--Close to restaurants, shopping, nightlife and entertainment, downtown La Crosse offers convenience and fun for those who choose to make it their home.

And as for those voyeuristic souls who stroll through the historic streets and wonder who lives above the quaint shops and charming galleries? They can satiate their curiosity this Sunday on the Upper Living tour of downtown La Crosse.

Organized by Downtown Mainstreet Inc., the tour features four unique downtown residences in renovated historic buildings.

"This is something that's very common in larger cities, but it's a new renaissance here in La Crosse," said Robin Moses, DMI's interim executive director. "People don't realize that it's not just student housing."

It's the neighborhood feel of the district that makes it a true community for business and residential tenants alike, said Carla Callies, who has lived in a second-floor apartment on Second Street for nearly 15 years.

She and her husband, Chuck, renovated the historic Pamperin Building, which once housed the biggest cigar factory in Wisconsin. The space features amazing details, like metal cornices, stately wooden beams, a working freight elevator and original wooden shutters.

Moving from the rolling bluffs of Medary to downtown La Crosse was a big change for the Callies, but they haven't had to give up any of the things they loved about life in the country.

"We added a deck with a garden and a three-car garage," she said. "We're not lacking anything."

Next door, Jerry Utley has transformed the space above the State Farm Insurance office into a cool urban loft.

"I've lived in New York City and Minneapolis, but for me, it's a terrific place to live," Utley said.

An avid jogger, he loves the proximity to Riverside Park and the network of biking and running trails through the marsh and along the river. Plus, it's a great vantage point during Oktoberfest.

"The parade comes right under my window," he said. "I take the screens out and they throw me candy."

In addition to the Callies and Utley homes, visitors will explore Kate Gerrard's home above her restaurant, Kate's Pizza Amore, and tour the entire fifth floor of the Lynne Tower. Gerrard's home and business reside in the historic Powell Place, which in the late 1800s housed the medical practice of the famous "Doc" Powell. Lynne Tower was originally the Linker Hotel, which was built in 1915 and expanded to eight stories in 1927 and converted to retail and apartments in the 1960s.

"Downtown is becoming a destination for living," Moses said. "When you can build a community at the center of your city where people want to live, work, shop and play, that's a successful downtown. That's what we're reaching for."

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