By Gregg Hoffmann
WisBusiness.cm
La Crosse – For the first time in the history of rapidly-growing Logistics Health Inc., all employees are under one roof this week.
Actually, all but 30 of the employees of the company moved into their new six-story, $16 million headquarters on the riverfront over the weekend. Those 30 workers will continue to be at a separate warehouse facility in the city.
Before the latest move, LHI was housed in three different buildings around the La Crosse area.
The new headquarters is heralded as the latest step in the rejuvenation of downtown La Crosse. In addition to housing the Logistics Health staff, the building will eventually house retail space and a restaurant.
A second Logistics Health building could be announced soon. Construction on that building will likely start next spring.
LHI, founded by Don Weber as National Health Screening in 1987, has grown into a leader in the health systems field. The company works with government and commercial clients.
With offices in Atlanta, the location of the CDC, and Washington D.C., LHI coordinates the massive health care system of the Department of Defense and other government agencies.
The firm’s growth has been rapid. At the time of an interview with WisBusiness.com last winter, Weber said LHI employed more than 230 people and could reach 500 in the not-too-distant future. Currently, the workforce is around 300.
Former Gov. Tommy Thompson, who was brought on as president in late winter, has predicted LHI could reach 1,000 employees. He said one of his main roles is to help the company land government contracts.
The new headquarters building received a $4 million allocation of New Markets Tax Credits from the state. The tax credits were awarded through the Wisconsin Community Development Legacy Fund, a consortium led by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA).
The City of La Crosse provided land for the project and approved an $11 million tax incremental financing district. Associated Bank financed the development.