Two entities bid for former Cedar Rapids library with a third given time to jump in

CEDAR RAPIDS - Two entities have submitted bids to acquire the city's flood-damaged, former downtown library on First Street SE, city officials told the City Council at its Tuesday evening meeting.

After some debate, the council agreed to extend its deadline for accepting offers for the building until June 9. The deadline had been May 31.

Mayor Ron Corbett told his council colleagues that a company in the Cedar Rapids area asked him if it would be possible to extend the deadline so it also could submit a proposal for the former library.

Corbett said allowing the company to submit a bid would not slow down plans for the new library, which will be built on Fourth Avenue SE across from Greene Square Park on a site now occupied by the True North insurance and financial services firm.

TrueNorth is thought to be one of the bidders on the former library. A local Realtor, Larry Sharp, also has said he has a client interested in the property.

Council members Kris Gulick and Chuck Wieneke wondered what the point of setting a deadline on a matter was if the council was going to change the deadline.

However, council member Justin Shields said getting another proposal for the property was important to the council and the city so the council had choices about what best to do with the old library property. One firm that has a proposal to create more and better-paying jobs on the site would be better than one that had fewer, lower-quality jobs, Shields argued.

Council members Chuck Swore and Monica Vernon agreed.

The vote was 6-2 to extend the deadline for proposals, with Gulick and Wieneke voting no.