Former meatpacking site still presenting lots of unknowns

When it comes to the redevelopment of the former Sinclair meatpacking site, there are still a lot of unknowns.

Flood waters, two fires and a funding dispute with the Federal Emergency Management Agency have thrown several wrenches into the city of Cedar Rapids plans for its redevelopment. The buildings on site were demolished several years ago and now, the only activity is that of construction trucks working on a Second Street sewer project.

The city of Cedar Rapids has incorporated the Sinclair site into its Flood Protection Plan, with plans to add a levee and area for storm water collection, said Joe O'Hern, the city of Cedar Rapids flood recovery and reinvestment director.

It is part of the 7.5 mile system that adds flood walls and levees along both sides of the river to better protect the community. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the East Side Flood Management System design, which includes the Sinclair site, and the city is looking for $115.8 million to add the necessary infrastructure.

But the project depends on federal funding approval, O'Hern said, adding that the Water Resources Development Act includes authorization for the flood protection plan. If authorized, Congress would then have to appropriate money before construction would be able to begin.

That isn't the only waiting game the city of Cedar Rapids is playing when it comes to the property. The city has been at odds with FEMA since 2010 over the amount of disaster funding allocated to the site and several other city-owned properties.

FEMA officials initially indicated they would reimburse the city $21 million to cover the loss and demolition of buildings on the Sinclair site. It later lowered that number to $6 million after FEMA calculations were revised to show that not all of the plant was in use at the time of the flood.

The city decided to appeal FEMA's decision to its regional office in Kansas City, Mo. During the appeal, regional FEMA spokesman Bob Josephson said the agency follows specific guidelines to be responsible with federal tax dollars while also giving city's what they deserve.

But FEMA decided to uphold the initial decision. Unhappy with that, the city has appealed to the Washington D.C office and is still waiting on a response. O'Hern said he is unsure of when they'll get an answer and that Hurricane Sandy most likely slowed the organization's workflow.

So what, if anything, could become of the 30-acre Sinclair site? Redevelopment ideas have been thrown around in recent years, but for right now, too many unknowns surround the property. 'I'm hesitant to speculate at this point,' O'Hern said.