Building Our Communities Since 1958

Founded in 1958 by Marcella Molzahn, the La Crosse Builders Exchange, Inc. is a non-profit, member-based organization that assists local and regional general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and others by acquiring plans and specifications for civil, commercial, industrial and institutional building projects in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. La Crosse Builders Exchange opened in 1958 in the Newburg Building on Main Street in Downtown La Crosse. Marcella Molzahn recognized the need in our community to provide a place where contractors of all building trades could find project plans and specifications for their use in bidding projects, which helped to stimulate the local and regional economies. The organization grew rapidly and moved into a new building at 1010 South 16th Street on the south side of La Crosse. Once that location became too small to house all of the project documents, LAXBX temporarily leased spaced in the building owned by HSR Associates on Buchner Place until a new location could be found. In 1994, LAXBX began construction on the building at 427 Gillette Street. Once the first phase of the building was outgrown, a multi-use conference room and additional work space was added in 2002 for a total of more than 4,000 square feet. With the shift to more electronic media, space required to house all the project documents started dropping. After 22 years in the 427 Gillette St building, the decision was made to downsize and sell the building. Since the location was convenient for members & staff alike, we relocated just blocks away to 709 Gillette Street. Today the organization consists of thirteen board members, a small team of dedicated employees, and hundreds of members working to advance the commercial building trades. 

A Look Back In Time

LAXBX’s First Board of Directors

1958

Left to right: George Kathan, Carl Iverson, Brad Turner, J.J. Knop, Morris Lillethun,

Bud Torrance, James Kroner, Buz Zahn, Marcella Molzah, Gary Poehling,

H.W. Rucker, Len Schleh. Not present: Frank Neumann, George Frise.

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