North Liberty’s Penn Landing development expanding

Construction crews are once again working to expand Penn Landing in North Liberty.

Grand Rail Development, a company that operates in Iowa City, North Liberty, and Coralville, is filling ground for an 18,000-square-foot building just behind the Debut Dance Studio in the Penn Landing development, at the corner of Penn Street and Highway 965.

The building will be the last addition to the development, as it will use the final space available in the area.

Mike Evans, Grand Rail president, said the building will help accommodate a large influx of new businesses showing interest in the development. There are already 50 tenants in the landing, including McDonald's, Capanna Coffee, Molly's Cupcakes and Pizza Hut.

'We've never been busier,” he said.

Construction began about two and a half weeks ago, and the company estimates North Liberty residents will see framework set in three weeks. Evans said he intends for the building to be completed and ready for tenants by the end of the summer.

The $2 million project will be able to house between four and 12 tenants, Evans said, depending on how much space each vendor requests.

Evans said the expansion project on Highway 965 has routed traffic to the area and credits it with some of the businesses' success. He said the increase in traffic will continue, as a new, 18,000-square-foot Walgreens store across from the commercial development will open just before Thanksgiving.

With the final developments in the landing beginning, Evans said the company is nearing completion of its overarching objective.

'This is what we're giving - a town feel,” he said. 'That was our goal all along, to give North Liberty what it doesn't have.”