Is Cedar Rapids putting too much rebuilding emphasis downtown?

Is the city of Cedar Rapids putting all its eggs in one basket when it comes to the downtown area?

Two at-large candidates for the Cedar Rapids city council brought up this question at a recent debate hosted by KCRG and The Gazette.

“The downtown is getting more focus than the rest of the town,” said Justin Wasson, 23, an at-large council candidate who lives in the city's Wellington Heights neighborhood. "Why are we building a convention center in an area that got flooded before without flood protection?”

At-large candidate Carl Cortez continuously echoed Wasson's remarks, saying the city's neighborhoods are starting to feel neglected by the city council.

“I've sat in on neighborhood association meetings,” said Cortez. "They're a little tired of the flood… they're still paying taxes, and their streets are not being fixed.”

For one new downtown restaurant, La Cantina Bar and Grille, these comments are discouraging to say the least.

"When people say we should just abandon downtown, leave it the way it is, it's really frustrating because this is our livelihood,” said Jeremie Habhab, general manager of La Cantina. “Originally we opened the business with the excitement and draw of the convention center.”

Returning businesses after the flood, like The Blue Strawberry, say they feel the downtown is the core of the city and an important part of the overall community.

"We realize we're all in this together and what's good for downtown is good for the rest of Cedar Rapids and vice versa,” said owner Mike Monnahan.“It can become a hub, it'd be nice to see Cedar Rapids get back to that point.”

At-large candidate, Ann Poe, made a similar argument during the debate, voicing a separate view from Wasson and Cortez.

“You can't have a good apple if the core is rotten,” Poe said. “Cities like Chicago and San Francisco, you see a beautiful skyline that's the core of the city.”

Terry Bilsland, president of the Wellington Heights neighborhood association, says he's not so sure.

“It seems to me the core has been diminishing for several years,” Bilsland said.

Bilsland says Wasson and Cortez are simply voicing the opinions of neighborhood residents. Some residents they say feel their money is being spent improving downtown, not repairing streets or investing in the quality of Cedar Rapids neighborhoods.

“People over here get discouraged when they hear all the grandiose things going on downtown - and some of the flood areas, all the "in-field" building people out here say...what about me?" said Bilsland.

To read more about where Wasson, Cortez and Poe stand on this issue and others, check out Gazette reporter Rick Smith's Fact Check.