WAFER Food Pantry
La Crosse, WI
Completion
2023
Type
Commercial
Situated in an industrial park, the WAFER Food Pantry was in need of a new facility, one that was more accessible to the people it serves with enough room to accommodate the changes it wished to make within its program.
The building on the corner of George and Gillette streets in La Crosse with a strong history of food service fit the bill. Previously occupied by Skogman’s Foodliner, Birnbaum’s Park and Shop, and IGA, the facility had enough room to accommodate private resource spaces, meeting and program rooms, and an increase in food donations. Situated on two major roadways and serviced by three bus lines, the new location is also more accessible.
The positive and welcoming atmosphere offers a grocery store shopping style while paying tribute to the building’s 1906 form. Reach-in coolers and freezers line the wall across from advertisements preserved on a previously exterior wall.
An addition on the front of the building makes for a space for educational programs while the garage includes a loading dock and secure parking space. A permanent drive-through increases access for those with disabilities, seniors, and families with small children.
