Grace Nieland

After 40 years of operation in northwest Cedar Rapids, the Abbe Center for Community Mental Health has moved to a new and improved downtown location.The new facility aims to offer a “calm, welcoming” space with the added convenience of a more centralized location.

Developers on Thursday presented plans for an estimated $21 million mixed-use building at the former Marion library site on Sixth Avenue across from City Square Park. The yet-named development would include roughly first-floor commercial space and 63 upper-level apartments.

The development was one of seven Corridor-area projects to receive recent state-issued workforce housing tax credits.

Also in this week’s Government Notes roundup of local news, Iowa City is launching a “Project Cleanup” volunteer litter removal program.

Housing insecurity remains a complex issue with myriad underlying causes and challenges, but evidence is mounting that ongoing collaborations and newly established initiatives are starting to make a difference.

The search for the longtime leader’s replacement has already begun.

Marion city staff say the aquatic center project ‘isn’t over by any means,’ although more work is needed before taking the issue to voters.

Also in this week’s Government Notes from The Gazette, Linn County seeks feedback, photos for website redesign

Cedar Rapids city staff are in the process of preparing a “strategic parking plan” to identify and address issues in the downtown area.

The tour runs through Sept. 30 and features 45 bookstores across the state.

The new Marion aquatics center project would have required passage of a nearly $40 million voter-approved bond referendum. Council members voted Thursday to hold off on putting the referendum on November’s ballot, delaying a vote by at least a year.

Food banks in Iowa will get $200,000 in new funding this year to address food insecurity by buying fresh food — such as dairy products, meat, poultry, eggs, grains, honey and produce — from local producers.

Linn County has officially adopted a nuclear energy ordinance — making it one of the only counties in the state with a nuclear-specific zoning code.

Scheetz, who represents District 2, was first appointed to the board in April of this year.

Cedar Rapids City Council District 3 incumbent Dale Todd is seeking re-election to the council.