Development proposal, including new Hy-Vee store, put on hold

A commercial development proposal that includes a new Hy-Vee store  west of C Avenue NE south of the proposed extension of Tower Terrace Road has been put on hold by the City Council for now.

Neighbors around the proposed development like the plan for the Hy-Vee store, but they have objected to developer Butschi Real Estate Co.'s plans for other commercial development on a corner of the 33-acre parcel closest to existing homes.

Neighbors in sufficient number around the development have lodged objections that a supermajority of council members - seven of nine - would have had to approve the developer's rezoning request at the council's Tuesday evening meeting for it to pass. Only seven of the nine council members were present, so the council opted to table the matter, Mayor Ron Corbett and council member Monica Vernon reported on Wednesday.

Allen Witt, a project engineer at Hall & Hall Engineers Inc. who is representing Butschi, on Wednesday said the developer intends to meet with neighbors again to discuss new building concepts on the development site before the developer returns to the City Planning Commission in February for its further review. The City Council then likely will take up the development proposal again in March, Witt said.

He said Hy-Vee hopes to build a new store on the Butschi property within two years. Hy-Vee has said it eventually will close an existing northeast Cedar Rapids store at 279 Collins Rd. NE next to Lindale Mall once a new store is built.