Iowa City ready to design parking structure that includes condos, office space

The city is ready to start designing a new parking structure that will include condominiums and office space in addition to parking spots.

The City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday night to hire Neumann Monson Architects of Iowa City to design the building. The contract calls for a lump sum fee of $447,800, plus reimbursement of expenses not to exceed $15,000.

The facility will be built at the site of the former parish hall of St. Patrick's Catholic Church southwest of the intersection of Linn and Court streets. The church was located across the street and was damaged in a 2006 tornado.

Initial plans call for up to 100 housing units aimed at young professionals, 20,000 to 35,000 square feet of commercial space and several hundred parking spots.

City officials have said it's hard to estimate a cost for the project because it has not been designed, but the price tag could run upwards of $20 million or $30 million.

The goal is to start construction in the fall and have it finished 18 to 24 months later.

When complete, the structure will join Tower Place and Court Street Transportation Center as multiuse parking facilities in or near downtown Iowa City.