NewBo City Market supporters seek help from Linn County

Linn County's initial share of a planned marketplace in Cedar Rapids' New Bohemia neighborhood should be $20,000, Sarah Ordover told county supervisors this morning.

Sarah Ordover, board president of Cedar Rapids City Market Inc., said the nonprofit would like $10,000 during the current fiscal year and a like amount next year to help plan the project. County participation is also key to winning a $1 million Vision Iowa grant toward the estimated $4 million project.

"We will need to have a more detailed conversation with our budget and finance folks" before making a formal decision, Supervisor Linda Langston told Ordover after her pitch.

In October, a city report called for a $100,000 grant toward the project, with about $2.4 million from grants or private foundations. Ordover said the group hopes to open the market at the site of the flood-damaged Quality Chef buildings, 1100 Third St. SE, by next Thanksgiving.  The project is popularly known as the NewBo City Market.

Supervisors also reviewed bids for the county courthouse reconstruction project. Barring a last-minute hitch, they'll formall award the general contract to Unzeitig Construction of Cedar Rapids. Unzeitig is the low bidder, at $5,930,000 base, or $6,226,600 including an additional set of remodeled rest rooms and an improved wheelchair ramp in front of the building.

At just over $8.5 million, the total project budget falls within plans, Garth Fagerbakke, the county's construction manager, reported.

This week's formal session of the board will be held 9 a.m. Tuesday at Linn County West at the Westdale Mall.