116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Government Notes: Ingredion awarded state incentives for $48M Cedar Rapids expansion
Also, a study reports the addition of an Uptown Marion hotel would have an economic impact of $21 million over its first five years of occupancy
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The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board on Friday approved an award for financial incentives to assist Ingredion, Inc., with a planned expansion of its Cedar Rapids facility.
Ingredion is an ingredients solution company that makes sweeteners, starches, nutrition ingredients and biomaterials used in everyday products.
The company is planning a $48.5 million project to construct a new 9,000-square-foot facility with electrical upgrades and additional equipment for a cornstarch dryer, storage and bulk loading process.
The state board awarded tax benefits through the High-Quality Jobs program. Ingredion reported the expansion will create four jobs at a wage of at least $32.64 per hour.
Last month, the Cedar Rapids City Council agreed to provide Ingredion standard incentives of a 10-year, 50 percent rebate of increased taxes generated by the project. Based on the investment and estimated value once work is done, the project is expected to generate $5.1 million in total taxes over a 10-year period, of which $750,000 would be rebated to Ingredion.
Construction could begin in April with completion in October 2026.
Report: Uptown Marion hotel would have $21M in economic impact
The addition of a new hotel in Marion would have an economic impact of $21 million over its first five years of occupancy, according to a market study presented to the city council.
Deputy City Manager Kim Downs last week updated council members regarding findings of a two-phase market study completed by Core Distinction Group.
The study indicated a “strong market demand” for an 80-90 unit, upscale hotel in Uptown Marion based on the firm’s analysis of current hotels and interviews with area businesses and residents.
A hotel fitting those specifications would create somewhere between eight and 12 full-time jobs, the report states. Total economic impact over the hotel’s first five years is estimated at $21.14 million from a mix of direct and indirect impacts to the local tourism economy.
The report will be made publicly available for consideration by stakeholders to assess the potential risks and rewards of hotel development. It was not created for a specific hotel brand or developer.
The City Council approved the study agreement with Core Distinction Group in December and will pay an amount not to exceed $17,500 for the group’s analysis findings.
Third Street SW reconstruction begins today
Road improvements along a busy Cedar Rapids roadway are expected to impact commuter traffic in the coming months.
Work begins today on Third Street SW between Third Avenue and Diagonal Drive. Per a city-issued advisory, traffic control devices will be in place while the road is closed and detours will be posted and maintained.
Related improvements include pavement reconstruction, the replacement of traffic signals and sidewalks and the addition of new storm sewer and water mains. The project is expected to wrap up in November.
For an additional list of road closures, visit the Cedar Rapids Daily Traffic Report website.
Iowa City urges safe battery disposal after landfill fires
In the first three months of this year, five fires have ignited in the Iowa City Landfill and have required emergency response to extinguish. Most, if not all, of these fires were started by batteries that were improperly disposed of in the trash.
Batteries and battery-containing devices should not go into the trash or regular recycling. Batteries that are incorrectly disposed of are a leading cause of landfill and recycling facility fires. The city is asking residents to properly dispose of batteries via battery drop-off locations located throughout Johnson County, including:
- Iowa City Fire Station #2 West (301 Emerald St., Iowa City)
- Ace Hardware East (1558 Mall Drive, Iowa City)
- Ace Hardware North (600 N Dodge St., Iowa City)
- City Hall Cashier Counter (410 E Washington St., Iowa City)
- North Liberty Community Center (520 W Cherry St., North Liberty)
- Coralville Recreation Center (1506 Eighth St., Coralville)
- Hazardous Material Collection Facility at the Iowa City Landfill (3900 Hebl Ave. SW, Iowa City)
These drop-off locations are available to residents in Johnson County, Kalona, and Riverside at no cost.
Battery-containing devices such as electronics, toys, and power tools can be properly recycled via the City’s electronics and appliances recycling programs. More information is available at www.icgov.org/recycle.
Tree removal will close portion of Cedar Rapids trail
A section of the Sac and Fox Trail and Rosedale Road will be temporarily closed on either Monday, March 24, or Tuesday, March 25, depending on weather conditions and wind speeds, while Linn County Road Maintenance crews complete tree removal. The work is expected to take one day to complete.
The Sac and Fox Trail crossing over Rosedale Road will be closed to all users while crews are working. Additionally, Rosedale Road will be closed to through traffic for the duration of the project. A 511 notification will be issued the morning of the scheduled work to confirm the exact date.
The Linn Area Mountain Biking Association (LAMBA) has proactively relocated the mountain bike trail entrance for the duration of the future bridge removal process. Please see the LAMBA website — linnareamtb.org — or the or Linn County Trails Association (LCTA) Facebook page — Facebook.com/LCTrails — for more information.
Trail users and motorists are encouraged to plan alternate routes and exercise caution near the work zone. For updates and additional information, visit LinnCountyIowa.gov/803/Construction-Projects. You can also learn more about Cedar Rapids trails, including viewing a trail map, at CityOfCR.com/Trails.
State grant awarded to Hoover library and museum in West Branch
The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board on Friday awarded a $400,000 Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant to redesign the 60-year-old Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum.
The redesign will allow for new exhibitions that emphasize the Hoovers’ contributions. Iowa is one of only 10 states to host a presidential library and museum. The total project cost is nearly $13.7 million
The museum and library closed in January to make way for the facility’s first renovation in 30 years.
The CAT program provides financial assistance to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa. Award recommendations for these funds are made by the CAT Review Committee to the IEDA Board for approval.
One week left to fill out Linn County mental health survey
Linn County residents have one week remaining to submit feedback to the county’s ongoing mental health survey.
Linn County Public Health is completing the survey in partnership with Eastern Iowa Health Center, Mercy Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital to assess area residents’ experiences with mental health.
The results will inform the county’s actions related to mental health programming during ongoing evaluations of available resources and attitudes toward the topic.
The brief survey asks respondents to comment on their experiences with mental health, the availability and accessibility of local resources and for recommendations on the kinds of services and support they would like to see more of in the county.
All responses are anonymous, and the survey period closes Monday, March 31. To submit feedback, visit tinyurl.com/LinnCountyMentalHealth.
Greater Iowa City Inc. awards community branding grants
Greater Iowa City Inc. has awarded community branding grants to Lone Tree and Shueyville.
Lone Tree will receive $5,000 to develop a community logo and continue marketing efforts. While Shueyville will receive $1,500 for marketing materials.
“We are thrilled that both Lone Tree and Shueyville submitted applications for a new community brand. This grant will help the communities create an identity that truly reflects their community,” Sarah Thompson, director of rural development at Greater Iowa City Inc., said in a news release.
The grant offers up to $5,000 to selected communities for branding and marketing materials to support economic development and community building efforts.
Johnson County Community Health Improvement plan released
HealthyJoco, a collaboration between Johnson County Public Health and community leaders, released a community health improvement plan built around health care access, mental health, housing and food security.
“Our community is full of passionate people, strong organizations, and innovative solutions,” said Jamie Gade, Social Determinants of Health Coordinator, in a news release. “This plan is about harnessing those strengths and working together to create real, lasting change. Many of the goals and strategies in the plan build upon the incredible work already underway in these priority areas. Public health is excited to step into these areas to collaborate with new and existing partners to improve health across Johnson County.”
The full plan is available at www.healthyjoco.com
Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. The Gazette’s Megan Woolard, Grace Nieland and Sara Konrad Baranowski contributed.
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