Former United Action for Youth home to be moved Wednesday

Those wishing to avoid traffic in Iowa City Wednesday might want to steer clear of the area surrounding College Green Park.

Unless, of course, they want to catch a glimpse of a nearly 120-year-old house rolling down the street.

Officials with Friends of Historic Preservation in Iowa City plan to move the former United Action for Youth house from 422 Iowa Avenue to 623 College Street starting at 9 a.m. The move is expected to take most of the day.

Alicia Trimble, executive director with Friends of Historic Preservation, said the process will be slow-going, with crews disconnecting overhead power lines in front of the house and then reconnecting them behind the 19th Century home as it's pulled down the street on a massive dolly.

'There's a lot you have to do to move a house,' Trimble said.

The house will be moved down Van Buren Street, east onto Washington Street, south on Dodge Street and then west onto College Street to its destination.

With most of the activity encircling College Green Park, Friends of Historic Preservation will host a community event from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the park's gazebo, with lunch served and an opportunity to watch the Houser-Metzger House move to its new home.

'We thought it would be really fun to watch the house move and kind of celebrate,' Trimble said.

United Action for Youth, a non-profit that provides social services to area youth and young parents, sold the houses at 410 and 422 Iowa Avenue to Madison, Wis. company Court Street Apartments LLC., which plans to build high-end apartments on the site.

The developer donated the house to Friends of Historic Preservation, who announced earlier this year they would be moving the house to the 600 block of College Street. It will be relocated to the former site of Hans and Barbara Breder's house, which was damaged by fire after being struck by lighting in October.

The Houser-Metzger House will eventually be refurbished and sold for residential use.