Stand up, be heard on closing of Second Ave

Things are on the move in Cedar Rapids, hopefully in the right direction. On the horizon is a change to Second Avenue SE, between 10th and 12th Street.

No known to many citizens, Physicians' Clinic of Iowa has been planning to build a new clinic for the last three years and wants to close Second Avenue. PCI is now saying you best do it our way or we will move elsewhere.

I believe closing of Second Avenue is important enough that our citizens should be given a chance to vote on this project. Three choices seem logical: Do it, don't do it or keep the road as is and let PCI build over it.

Questions we should be asking are: Who is paying for and will own the new building(s)? Do the physicians in question (a for-profit group) have money they will be investing (skin in the game)? Are the two Cedar Rapids hospitals jointly going to own and manage the new properties? What kind of tax concessions will the City provide? What costs will be incurred if First, Second and Third avenues are changed?

Now is the time to stand up and express our opinion. We didn't in the past and many changes took place (like the Union Station was torn down) without citizen input.

David H. Burke

Cedar Rapids