Articles Tagged: Economic development

City bought lot at 21 S. Linn St. for $4.5 million in 2023

Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham’s proposal was considered publicly for the first time Thursday by lawmakers and stakeholders

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

Iowa’s four most populous counties – Polk, Linn, Scott and Johnson – would no longer receive state economic development funding under a bill advanced by House lawmakers Wednesday.

First Avenue has been an emerging priority area for years, and now a plan recently approved by the Cedar Rapids City Council will clear the way for a slew of proposed partnerships and improvements.

The Marion City Council at its Thursday meeting will hold a public hearing on a partnership announced two weeks ago, with Dubuque-based developer Gronen, and the Kilbourne Group, based in Fargo, North Dakota, to refine ideas and develop a project for the former Marion library property.

Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Founder Larry Helling to retire; James Klein will become President & CEO as bank continues to grow.

The intended tenant of the former Sears store at Lindale Mall will be Dick’s House of Sport, and will include an outdoor year-round, multi-use field, according to documents set for discussion at Tuesday’s Cedar Rapids City Council meeting.

Ten acres at the corner of First Avenue and Second Street in Coralville will include restaurant, retail, commercial and multifamily housing as part of the Gather Iowa redevelopment project from Rael Development Corporation. (Renderings created by Dwell Design Studio and provided by City of Coralville)

The warehouses will be a size that’s not currently available in Cedar Rapids. City Economic Development Project Coordinator Scott Mather said city staff get inquiries at least monthly for warehouse space that’s immediately available, and these projects will help meet that demand.

The industrial corridor along Sixth Street SW and 76th Avenue SW nearly to Swisher has drawn more than $1 billion worth of development since 2017, according to the city. The projects accounted for 949 new jobs and nearly as many listed as retained.

Housing rapidly replacing office spaces emptied after the pandemic

Plans call for building a new expo center, go-kart track, tech barn, hotel and restaurant at Hawkeye Downs Speedway & Expo Center in Cedar Rapids.

An unnamed company is seeking financial incentives to build a massive $750 million data center in the Big Cedar Industrial Center that would create at least 30 new high-paying jobs.

Backers of a Linn County casino, which is proposed to be built in northwest Cedar Rapids, unveiled updated plans Monday. The $275 million development would feature a casino with 700 slot machines and 22 table games, plus a group of restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, an arts & cultural center and a STEM lab.