Construction set to begin next month on North Liberty basketball facility

NORTH LIBERTY — Construction is set to begin next month on North Liberty’s newest athletic training facility.

The nearly 45,000 square foot Corridor Sports Performance Center will include four basketball courts, physical therapy spaces, a fitness center, and community event space. The basketball courts also will be used for volleyball and pickleball. The fitness center and physical therapy office will be leased to outside partners.

The facility will be located at the intersection of Dubuque Street and North Liberty Road, near Liberty High School.

“We think this is going to do a great job of anchoring that corner of North Liberty. So we're really excited about this,” said Ryan Rusnack, the city’s director of Planning, Building & Development.

The facility will serve as the home of Murray Elite, a basketball club serving athletes in grades 6-11. It also will host tournaments and be the hub for former Iowa Hawkeye men’s basketball player Kenyon Murray’s nonprofit, the Murray Family Foundation.

The North Liberty City Council approved a site plan, development agreement and tax incentives at its last meeting that will make way for construction to begin. Construction is expected to last 12 to 14 months, with an estimated $10 million price tag for the project.

In addition to the gym space and fitness center, the facility also will have offices and space that can be rented out for community events.

Murray said the hope is that the Murray Family Foundation can partner with organizations such as Junior Achievement and Brightn, a mental wellness app. The facility also plans to offer interview practice and financial literacy classes.

North Liberty tax incentives

The city council last week approved a request for tax increment financing incentives for the project. The incentives will be spread out over the course of eight years, and not exceed $1.8 million.

Comments: megan.woolard@thegazette.com

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