Medical district building plan would ruin neighborhood

The proposal to allow Physicians Clinics of Iowa to build a massive building and parking ramp in the middle of Second Avenue SE between 10th and 11th streets is stupid.

Second Avenue SE is a historic street. This is also a historical area of the city in which there are three architecturally beautiful churches - First Lutheran, First Christian and the landmark Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church and parish house. Also in the neighborhood are the Averill mansion, now a law office, the Douglas mansion, now a funeral home, and the Grant Wood Studio.

Building massive medical facilities and parking ramps in the midst of all this will obliterate the beauty and history of the neighborhood. Yet our elected officials have approved this plan unanimously.

Instead of blocking the flow of traffic toward downtown and impeding access for emergency vehicles, leave this historic street alone. Current use of Second and Third avenues as one-way streets is efficient and nearly accident-free.

Instead, redirect the PCI building to entire city blocks near Mercy Medical Center that have been cleared of housing and apartment buildings and are now mere parking lots. Or build on the St. Luke's Hospital surface parking lot north of First Avenue, beginning at 10th Street NE.

Create new city parks around the church district. Don't ruin it with careless, shortsighted changes.

Hal Sondrol

Cedar Rapids