Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Sunday, March 20, 2005
Area shows offer information on building, remodeling
The La Crosse Center and Radisson Hotel have a new neighbor for the weekend.
A furnished and landscaped three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a patio room was completed about five minutes before the annual Greater La Crosse Home and Builders Show opened Friday night.
Mike Premo, Heritage Homes sales manager, said the house traveled from the family-owned business on Hwy. 53 Wednesday morning, and was drywalled, furnished and equipped with electrical and gas hookups in an "Extreme Makeover" style.
"We were running around with our heads cut off," he said Saturday afternoon sitting in front of the gas fireplace as a few snowflakes continued to fall outside.
"We literally got it done at five minutes to 5 (p.m.) Friday."
With snow piled outside, the show at the La Crosse Center as well as the Green Home Show in Viroqua, Wis., offered visitors a glimpse of spring and the home building and remodeling season.
The show at the La Crosse Center, which continues today, features anything a homeowner might need to build or remodel a home, said Bill Jackson of the Jackson Expo Group.
From re-financing to more efficient furnaces or windows and landscaping to real estate companies, "they're all here," he said.
Seminars available included installing ceramic tile, reducing the risk of identity theft, painting and drywalling.
The one-day Viroqua show at the Viroqua Main Street Station and Public Market featured environmentally friendly alternatives for house building including paint, masonry work, insulation and energy, said Jim Hanson, one of the market owners. It was the first of what organizers hope will be ongoing Green Home Shows.
"The intent is to pretty much have the show every year. You don't see very many, what we call green shows," he said.
Gregory Splinter & Associates Architects, a business that designs "green" houses, was also there, as were vendors offering crafts and other items for sale, he said.
A Green Building Pro round-table discussion and town hall meeting were among the educational events.
Even through the weather was less than perfect for the show, Hanson said there was still a "good turn out.
"That proved to us people out there are looking for what we're (offering)," he said.
Autumn Grooms can be reached at (608) 782-9710, ext. 357, or agrooms@lacrossetribune.com.
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