Five Seasons Plaza rehab

By Gary Anderson and Bill Munsell

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No taxpayer money. No Federal Emergency Management Agency support. We hope you've seen it. It looks terrific!

Fundraising for the newly rehabbed and expanded Five Seasons Plaza was a true community effort. Contributing families and businesses totaled 145. That's roughly 9 of every 10 who were asked to help bring our icon back to a condition we can all be very proud of again.

Total raised was $405,000, including $100,000 for a perpetual maintenance endowment. Additionally, 21 construction and materials suppliers contributed labor, materials and services worth $200,000, making the total value of the Plaza project $605,000. Ryan Companies US Inc., the general contractor, and OPN Architects led that fine effort.

Others included Ace Concrete Cutting LLC, Altorfer Cat Rental, American Concrete Pumping, Braun Intertec Corp., Fleming Irrigation, Hughes Nursery & Landscaping, King's Material, Kirkwood Community College, Merta Concrete Construction, Mount Vernon Construction, Nesper Sign Advertising Inc., Paulson Electric, Prarie Creek Nursery, Presentations, Seedorf Masonry, Trees Forever, The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, Tim Terrel Co. and Whitters Landscape.

Project management and fundraising received lots of help along the way. Mayor Ron Corbett and City Manager Jeff Pomeranz blessed the project and set it up so it could happen. City Parks and Recreation Director Julie Sina and Dan Gibbins, City Parks Superintendent, were involved with planning from the beginning. Gibbins' contribution is undescribable - first, for some of the magic he performed, and second, the quality level at which he worked.

Ryan Companies' Project Manager Aaron Bunge and Site Manager Jim Kramer were heavy lifters through the planning and construction processes and we could not have had better. We can't say enough about their professional efforts and their results.

Fundraising was initiated about three years ago when a local family made a major contribution for establishment of the important maintenance endowment. Tom Aller's 2001 Development Corp. gift was the second received. Banker's Trust's Tim Kintner hit the streets for us early as did Steve Nordstrom.

It became obvious early on that we were just one of 30-plus fundraising efforts under way after flood damage was assessed. The Hall-Perrine Foundation provided significant support and, one by one, donors came forward to make the attractive new plaza a reality.

All 145 gifts were directed to the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, resulting in a sizable extra oversight chore for Les Garner and his organization.

Maintenance planning was resolved when Doug Neumann agreed to involve his Downtown District personnel and contracted to provide daily attention and oversight. Funds for this detail come from the $100,000 perpetual maintenance endowment.

Last, but by no means least, we applaud the considerable help of our Five Seasons Plaza Design Committee: Aller, Bunge, Loren Coppock, Gibbins, Kintner, Bob Moorman, Neumann, Nordstrom, John Ryan, Carl Sefl, Sina, Dan Thies and Cassie Willis.

We're proud of what's been done to make the important plaza project a success. How nice it is to live and work in The City of Five Seasons!

Gary Anderson and Bill Munsell were co-chairs of the Five Seasons Plaza Design Committee. Comments: garyander1@mchsi.com or

Bilmunsell@.com.