Alliant picks up $1.4 million in vacant Cedar Rapids land along CRANDIC

Alliant Energy Transportation has acquired nearly 132 acres of rural land for future use in southwest Cedar Rapids.

The logistics services provider on Jan. 28 bought four property parcels totaling 131.85 acres for a combined sum of $1,389,302, city and Linn County property records show.

The land all falls along the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway - or CRANDIC - which made it a 'unique and appealing” purchase for future rail-related uses, said Jeff Woods, director of business development and marketing for Alliant Energy Transportation.

Holding the track-adjacent land could allow Alliant to make future efficiency improvements or accommodate more rail traffic, including from organic customer growth or economic development projects, he said in an email.

'Future improvements pending the business case include tracks to support increases in railcar shipments, as well as related vehicle access to efficiently move our operating and maintenance crews around the system,” Woods said.

Alliant's newly purchased acreage sits directly across from Big Cedar Industrial Center, a more than 1,391-acre park certified as a development-ready 'mega site” in October 2018.

Property records show Alliant Energy Transportation affiliates have paid at least $14,670,300 to acquire 15 parcels totaling 460 acres within the Big Cedar park since May 2016.

Other areas of the industrial center are deeded to private landowners.

Part of that land includes the Cedar Rapids Logistics Park, on nearly 75 acres southwest of the Highway 30 and Edgewood Road SW interchange.

There, starting at the latest in early 2021, Alliant plans to build a multipurpose warehouse facility, a bulk transload facility with team track access - allowing commodities to be transferred between truck and rail - and a secure trailer drop yard.

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