City gets more than expected from I-JOBS for Vets Building, former federal courthouse

A year ago, the city of Cedar Rapids secured state I-JOBS funds to help with building a new library and with renovating the Paramount Theatre and the city's Public Works Facility.

None of the money went to the flood-damaged City Hall at the Veterans Memorial Building because the council then was still thinking about building a new city hall.

The current City Council now has squashed the idea of a new city hall, and on Tuesday, the Iowa Legislature agreed to give the city about $8.6 million in I-JOBS funds to renovate the Veterans Memorial Building for city government and for veterans programs and to renovate the nearby former federal courthouse for use by city offices, Mayor Ron Corbett reports.

The state will sell bonds to provide the I-JOBS stimulus money, and pay the debt off over time.