Iowa Innovation Learning Center to make fourth move in seven years

HIAWATHA - A non-profit organization designed to engage children in science and technology is preparing for the latest change in its tumultuous history.

As the Iowa Innovation Learning Center prepares to change locations for the fourth time in seven years, it's auctioning off hundreds of items from its Hiawatha center.

While Executive Director Randy Bachman declined to give details, he said the new location will continue to have a science, technology, engineering and math - or STEM - focus.

'There's some really great news that's coming,” Bachman said, estimating the organization could make an announcement in two weeks. 'We're extremely STEM-focused as an organization, and that's how it's going to be going forward.”

He said the center is exploring temporary solutions and 'looking for ways to continue our STEM mission.”

The center closed in mid-October after opening its Hiawatha location in April. Bachman said the center will open at a new location in the first part of next year.

Once called the Cedar Rapids Science Center, the flood of 2008 destroyed its downtown facility, causing it to temporarily relocate to Lindale Mall. In 2013, it moved to a 30,000-square-foot building that formerly housed Rockwell Collins offices on Council Street. The organization didn't raise enough in donations to buy that building, and moved to 705 N. Center Point Road in Hiawatha in April before recently closing its doors and holding an auction. That auction, through Wears Auctioneering in Solon, ends Wednesday and includes office furniture and toys.

The center also had three different executive directors since 2013

Filings with the IRS show the non-profit finished 2013 having spent $186,000 more than it collected in revenue. In 2011, it finished the year spending nearly $600,000 more than it collected.