116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Cedar Rapids action plan looks to revitalize struggling First Avenue district
Public, private partners look to encourage improvement to previously bustling mixed-use district using community feedback
Mar. 16, 2025 5:30 am, Updated: Mar. 17, 2025 7:35 am
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CEDAR RAPIDS — Sitting at a coffee shop along First Avenue in Cedar Rapids, developer and business owner John Khairallah needs both hands to count the number of vacant storefronts along a nearby commercial block.
“Six, seven, eight, or wait — nine? I think it’s nine,” he mused, creating a mental map of the rows of windows offering glimpses into empty space. “It wasn’t always like this. … Things have really changed.”
Khairallah owns several commercial buildings along First Avenue East, as well as a handful of residential properties. Years ago, he said, the area was thriving thanks to the mix of small- and large-scale retailers and proximity to downtown Cedar Rapids.
As other parts of the city grew, however, the portion of First Avenue to the east of downtown began to lag behind. One store closed, and then another and another until a perpetual cycle despondently emerged.
The commercial district consequently assumed its modern, gap-toothed appearance where remaining businesses act as stop gaps between a mix of new and long-standing vacancies. Thousands of people drive by each day, but only a fraction ever stop to shop or visit.
Khairallah maintains that the area has potential, and he’s currently working to redevelop several retail buildings there. He stressed, however, that significant change is a necessary ingredient for the area’s revitalization and long-term success.
“Something has to change,” he said. “I see potential here: Coe College is right there, St. Luke’s and Mount Mercy a little bit farther. Those things aren’t going anywhere … but we need some kind of push to get things started.”
Khairallah, of Cedar Rapids, is not alone in that sentiment. Concerns from community members and city leaders have been on the rise for years, and worries spiked following the June closure of the Hy-Vee at 1556 First Ave. NE.
Last year, the city took a magnifying lens to the area in hopes of addressing those concerns through the identification of the area’s strengths, weaknesses and potential pathways forward.
Those findings resulted in the creation of a formal “micro-area action plan” that received approval from the Cedar Rapids City Council last month — clearing the way for a slew of proposed partnerships and improvements.
“It’s sort of the old chicken and the egg question: What comes first — strong businesses to build a neighborhood, or a strong neighborhood to attract a business,” said District 3 council member Dale Todd. “This plan lets us turn our attention toward both.”
Micro plan offers place-based focus
First Avenue has been an emerging priority area for years, but city staff last spring identified a roughly 60-acre parcel between 12th and 16th streets SE that would benefit from special attention. Fact-finding and community outreach began in late spring and continued throughout the year.
City planner Noah Zecker said micro plans are unique in that they offer opportunities for more niche analysis and place-based problem solving. The First Avenue plan is only the second time the city has applied such an amplified lens, the first being a portion of Rockford Road SW.
“We have the (First Avenue micro area) included in the College District Area Action Plan for the broader area, but this portion … in particular was struggling with some specific issues,” Zecker said. “By taking a narrow focus, we can see how to identify the barriers or challenges causing those issues.”
As part of the process, city staff were tasked with collecting feedback from area stakeholders and comparing it against other qualitative and quantitative sources such as traffic patterns, crime statistics and vacancy rates.
The plan area covers mostly commercial space, but it also includes several residential blocks and portions of Coe College and MedQuarter. The area is split between two neighborhood associations — Wellington Heights and Mound View — although it is encompassed entirely by the larger College District.
As such, there were multiple stakeholder groups from whom staff were able to collect feedback, and a total of 105 responses were collected through a mix of in-person outreach and online surveys.
The majority of respondents either lived near or worked in the study area, although respondents also included those who shopped in the area, owned property there or lived within the boundaries of the micro area.
Feedback was compared against other data sources and historic archives to create the action plan approved by the City Council last month. Moving forward, those steps will be added to the city’s comprehensive plan, EnvisionCR.
“What the city did very well here was be thoughtful about bringing otherwise disconnected partners together toward a shared vision,” said Eric Gutschmidt, president of Wellington Heights Neighborhood Association. “… To me, that vision definitely aligns with the wants and desires (of residents).”
Vacancies, traffic present challenges
One of the main concerns cited by area stakeholders was the prevalence of vacant commercial space along First Avenue.
The First Avenue Hy-Vee is the most recent notable example, although others include the former McDonald’s location at 1530 First Ave. NE and several smaller vacancies at nearby multi-tenant buildings.
The city already had identified the micro plan area when Hy-Vee announced the closure last summer, so city staff were able to wrap the loss and resulting vacancy into the planning document, as well as ideas for a potential replacement.
Currently, the city is working with a yet-unnamed Kansas City business that has expressed preliminary interest in the site, and staff also have been in communication with the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA).
Since 2019, franchise owners Brent and Carissa Votroubek have opened two businesses — Scooter’s Coffee and Jimmy John’s — at the Commons on 1st building at the intersection of First Avenue and 14th Street NE.
Brent Votroubek said they decided to open there in part due to the city’s intent to revitalize the area. The COVID-19 pandemic seemed to press pause on those plans, however, and the couple has since watched several of their commercial neighbors close.
“Things slowed down a bit with COVID, and now it feels like we’re going in the opposite direction,” he said. “… We’d like to see some change and see the city (take steps) to come in and brighten it up a bit.”
Votroubek specifically cited a relative lack of on- and off-street parking as one issue affecting business in the area, as well as concerns around the area’s walkability and overall safety.
As a state highway and major arterial, First Avenue is designed to efficiently transfer vehicle traffic to and from downtown, but that function can at times run counter to efforts to bolster the neighborhood’s walkability and safety.
According to Iowa State Patrol crash data, at least 40 reported crashes occurred within the micro plan area in 2024. Six resulted in known injuries, and four involved pedestrians who were struck by passing vehicles.
Several respondents to the city’s survey highlighted related concerns around the distance between existing crosswalks, as well as the quality of those crossings and the length of time spent waiting to get the OK to cross safely.
Sheryl Bass lives along a portion of Second Avenue SE captured within the study area, and she and her husband walk through the neighborhood regularly with their Brittany spaniel, Maple. The residential streets are easy to navigate, she said, but crossing First Avenue can be a struggle.
“If we want to get to the CEMAR Trail, we have to cross First Avenue, and that can be a little scary,” she said, noting her desire for additional and improved crosswalks. “We usually end up walking a few blocks to find a safe spot.”
Stakeholders see strengths, but public perception lags
Despite those concerns, several strengths emerged when stakeholders were asked about what they perceived to be the area’s greatest advantages.
When asked what they liked best about the area, respondents were quick to spotlight the area’s connectivity. The accessibility of the downtown area from First Avenue was noted frequently, as well as the proximity to Coe College.
Respondents also highlighted the sense of community among those who live in or around the study area. Individual responses referenced pride among the area’s longest standing residents, as well as the sense of familiarity between neighbors.
“Some of my neighbors have been super helpful (since I moved in),” said Desiree Widrick, who last fall moved into an apartment building along Second Avenue SE. “There’s people here that make sure I’m doing OK and ask if I need anything.”
The same sentiment extended to area businesses, and several respondents indicated strong support for the existing businesses and the belief that the area could support future development under the right conditions.
Interest was particularly high for additional dining options — the top demand from those asked what they’d most like to see in the area. Other contenders included grocery, shopping and recreation businesses.
Still, overall sentiment was hampered by concerns about safety, ongoing vacancy rates and the loss of local grocery and dining options. When asked which three words best describe the area, the top survey responses included “unsafe,” “rundown” and “blighted.”
Bass, who has lived in the area for five years, mused that some of those beliefs are more common among those from outside the neighborhood, however, when compared to those who live in the study area and surrounding neighborhoods.
“It feels like (people in) Cedar Rapids as a whole maybe don't see the value of the neighborhood in the same way as those of us who live here,” she said.
Khairallah seconded and said public perception is one of the largest barriers to attracting commercial tenants to the area. Still, he’s pressing forward with the development of several properties along First Avenue in hopes of reversing that trend.
Currently, interior construction is underway at the multi-tenant building Khairallah owns at 1445 First Ave. SE. The first tenant, Hornbill Asian Market, is set to open in late spring and Khairallah hopes to see the specialty grocer succeed in a way that encourages other businesses to come to the area.
“It just takes a few really strong stores to hold down a neighborhood,” he said. “My focus is on bringing in a variety of those strong businesses to grow here.”
Private, public partners look forward
Using information collected during the planning process, city staff created a multi-prong action plan for the First Avenue study area. It outlines 16 action steps toward five established goals, all of which fall under the umbrella of improving land use, connectivity and/or placemaking.
Each step was assigned a time frame ranging from within one year to within the next four to five years. Key to each, Zecker noted, are the underpinnings of community participation and partnership.
“I don’t think we ever stop taking public input, even though the plan is completed,” he noted. “If someone is interested or has additional ideas, that’s something we welcome.”
First Avenue East Micro Area Action Plan
For all steps included in the First Avenue East Micro Area Action Plan and additional comments from community outreach efforts, visit tinyurl.com/CR1stAveAction.
Two steps on the fast track include the support or facilitation of additional public events within the area to draw in residents from near and far. In doing so, the goal is to bolster the community’s overall familiarity and comfort with the area to increase their likelihood of coming again.
Another step calls for the identification of locations and partners for private or public art opportunities that can bring an added sense of vitality and personality to the space. Some installations could be permanent, the plan states, while others could be temporary or displayed on a rotating basis.
MedQuarter Executive Director and College District board president Phil Wasta applauded both proposals, noting that people are more likely to visit and shop in areas they are familiar with.
“We need to bring back some energy and activity to the area,” he said. “(Community events and art displays), those are the kinds of things that bring that energy and traffic to the area by giving people a reason to be there.”
Additionally, a working group will be created for stakeholders to meet to identify barriers and recommend ways to recruit and retain business, and city staff have been tasked with identifying relevant economic development programs and publicizing those programs to potential beneficiaries.
City staff also will explore options to enhance the streetscape along First Avenue to identify ways to improve experiences for drivers and pedestrians alike through the possible addition of a landscaped median or bus turn off lanes.
Votroubek noted particular interest in the proposed roadway improvements and the overall beautification efforts. He also said he’d like to see some additional lighting added in the area to brighten it up at night and bolster a sense of safety.
“(As business owners,) we feel like we’ve invested in the area, and we’ve stuck around where a lot of others have closed up shop,” he said. “I’m optimistic, but I’m sure it’ll take some time.”
Comments: grace.nieland@thegazette.com
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