116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
City officials approve two housing proposals in western Cedar Rapids
The two projects will add a combined 48 units to western Cedar Rapids in previously flood-ravaged areas.
Jul. 24, 2025 3:45 pm, Updated: Jul. 25, 2025 7:40 am
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CEDAR RAPIDS — A team of local developers is looking to add nearly 50 new housing units in previously flood-damaged areas of western Cedar Rapids.
Cedar Rapids City Council members this week approved two proposals for housing projects on city-owned land in the Time Check and Czech Village neighborhoods. The proposals came from separate companies, although they share the same development team.
The city has been seeking buyers for several of the properties it acquired after the 2008 flood with a preference for housing development to complement ongoing improvements to the municipal greenway and flood control systems.
“Development in the flood plain is tough,” city planner Jeff Wozencraft said. “But I think as we’re making improvements in this area, we’ll start to see more and more interest in developing some of these smaller-scale lots.”
Per city documents, both proposals came from local developers Tyler Oswood and Chad Pelley, alongside several additional representatives from Pelley’s development company Twenty40 Building Concepts.
The first is a proposal for a 36-unit housing project on currently vacant land in between Ellis Boulevard and Sixth Street NW. The project as proposed would include a mix of one- and two-bedroom “apartment-style townhome” rental units.
According to the proposal, the project aims to introduce a new “medium-density housing option” through infill development “in the heart of the Ellis and Time Check neighborhood.”
“This addition also supports the growing workforce around the Ellis area, including those (to be) employed at the nearby casino, by providing modern, efficient housing that meets the needs of those looking for smaller, more manageable living spaces without compromising on quality or location,” a project outline states.
The second project is a 12-unit townhome development along 22nd Avenue SW between Mount Trashmore and Czech Village. That project would create a mix of two- and three-bedroom units with both rental and for-purchase options.
Proposal documents set a tentative completion date of summer 2027 for both projects, dependent upon the receipt of tax credits and other financial incentives. Early estimates place overall investment at at least $9.6 million for the two projects.
Both proposals were reviewed by and received unanimous approval from stakeholder review committees composed of city staff, projects’ respective neighborhood representatives, a non-competing developer and a commercial lending professional.
The projects also drew unanimous support from City Council members, several of whom highlighted the need to continue to bolster housing options in portions of the city ravaged by historic flooding in 2008.
“These are long recovery periods here to 17 years later be rebuilding these neighborhoods, but I think this fits really well with what we’ve been hoping … to help us repair some of these parcels that we have long-awaited to put residents back into,” council member Ashley Vanorny said.
Council approval clears the way for city staff to begin drafting development agreements to outline requirements for the necessary property transfers to occur. Those agreements are expected to return to the council for review and approval later this year.
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