Forum focuses on Cedar Rapids flood recovery obstacles

Proposals including 10 years of free parking and alternative means of flood control were offered last night at a forum on the future of downtown.

A standing-room-only crowd squeezed into the auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art to hear panelists discuss problems facing small business owners and obstacles to recovery from the June 2008 flood. The forum was sponsored by the Gazette Family of Companies.

Mayor Ron Corbett said he will ask the federal and state governments to provide funding so the city can offer free parking in downtown Cedar Rapids for a decade.

“Parking comes up as a deal breaker in virtually every decision about whether to locate a business in downtown Cedar Rapids,” Corbett said. “This isn't just business as usual in our recovery effort. We have to do something that's out of the ordinary.”

Corbett also called on Rockwell Collins and AEGON - the community's two largest private employers - to lease space and move hundreds of employees to downtown Cedar Rapids.

“I think that would send a message that our larger employers are back,” he said. “AEGON and Rockwell Collins have been growing in recent years and have occupied additional buildings in the community. Those jobs would be very valuable as we go about rebuilding downtown Cedar Rapids.”

Doug Neumann, president of the Cedar Rapids Downtown District, said recovery of the downtown property tax base is critical to the overall health of the community. He said efforts to bring more residential development downtown were sidelined by the flood but are back on track.

“We need to create a critical mass of people that makes a great neighborhood in the downtown area,” Neumann said. “That includes the cultural venues, like Theatre Cedar Rapids, which don't impact property taxes but are part of the fabric of the community.”

Shannon Meyer, president of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, said flood-affected businesses have not been able to get critical financial aid because of federal red tape. Meyer said businesses are failing every day after business owners have leveraged every “last nickel” of their financial resources.

Amy Wyss, co-owner of Zins restaurant in downtown Cedar Rapids, said many small business owners have paid employees but haven't paid themselves in more than 18 months. She cited lack of cash flow as one of the greatest problems facing flood-affected businesses.

Gary Ficken, president of the Cedar Rapids Small Business Recovery Group, applauded the City Council's rapid passage of a “buy local” resolution. He urged those attending the forum to patronize locally owned businesses and make the public aware of what can be purchased in the community.

Corbett, responding to a suggestion about construction of water retention reservoirs upstream, said the Army Corps of Engineers will visit Cedar Rapids March 11. He said alternative flood control and prevention methods will be discussed at the meeting.