Hunter Companies looks to develop Transamerica site in Cedar Rapids into mixed-use project

CEDAR RAPIDS — Local developer Hunter Companies is under contract to purchase a 51-acre site from Transamerica in Cedar Rapids and is pursuing plans to turn it into a mixed-use development, which has sparked concerns among some residents who are mobilizing against the potential project.

Shannon Thompson, general counsel for Hunter Companies, said the developer is working on a “nice mixed-use development” at the property located on Edgewood Road and 42nd Street NE, not far from the rapidly developing area around the intersection with Highway 100. Thompson said in an email no tenants are lined up yet.

A proposed preliminary plat is set to go before the City Planning Commission at its 3 p.m. Oct. 28 meeting in the City Hall council chambers, Thompson said.

Hunter Companies has experience with similar developments, Thompson said, such as the Northtowne Market site across the street from Target on Blairs Ferry Road NE, which includes restaurants such as Moe’s Southwest Grill and Jimmy John’s as well as elevate salon and spa.

Additionally, Thompson said Hunter Companies also developed the Berthel Fisher Financial Center at a suite within 4201 42nd St. NE — near the Transamerica site with WineStyles, Parks & Schmit, Berthel Fisher and other users, plus Edgewood Station and Edgewood Market on Edgewood Road SW near Westdale.

The property, at 4333 Edgewood Road NE, was put up for sale in March along with Transamerica’s former offices at 4425 and 4415 N. River Blvd. NE, as part of the company’s consolidation of office space.

City Development Services Manager Ken DeKeyser said in a statement that rezoning to allow a mixed-use development is not required for this project. The current zoning district is Suburban Mixed Use Regional Center, which allows for a variety of uses including multifamily, retail and office uses.

On Monday evening, KGAN-TV reported on a neighborhood meeting with residents regarding the development. The TV station reported that residents had shared concerns over traffic impacts, noise and light pollution, tree removal and flooding, among others.

Some residents are organizing against the development before it comes to the City Planning Commission. A Facebook group called “42nd and EDGEWOOD Save our neighborhood” has formed.

Dave Watson, a resident who organized the Facebook group and said he shared hundreds of flyers informing people of the proposal, said residents support Hunter Companies as the developer because of its local roots versus an out-of-state developer.

“We just want Hunter to think about us,” Watson said.

Nancy Buss, a resident who lives nearby, said some residents were concerned about traffic backing up the Edgewood Road and 42nd Street NE intersection.

Depending on the tenants and their hours of operation, she said residents feared people would be coming and going at all hours, as opposed to now when there are more “defined” periods of traffic — mainly around 5 p.m. weekdays at close of business.

“Now it could be anybody’s guess,” Buss said.

Watson said residents accepted the extra traffic that came with the construction of Xavier High School on 42nd Street NE because it served an educational purpose, but some were wary of traffic impacts from commercial site users and wanted no more traffic entering onto 42nd Street NE.

DeKeyser said the city had been considering improvements to the Edgewood Road and 42nd Street NE intersection before this development. No details are available yet on that work, he said. There currently are automated traffic cameras at this intersection, from both northbound and southbound approaches on Edgewood.

Plans to remove much of the trees in a nearby forested area also upset residents after the widespread tree loss in last summer’s derecho, Buss said.

“We’ve lost so many trees,” Buss said. “Imagine taking big mature trees that obviously survived the derecho … We have so many tiny, spindly ones now. We want to keep the big ones.”

Buss said she plans to reach out to the City Council to relay her concerns.

“I hope we’re listened to,” Buss said. “I hope that they just try and actually take a step back and look at the big picture and think of what’s best for the community. Obviously it’s property, it will be developed, but how can we do this in a way that preserves the forest that’s there and preserves our property values and preserves as much as we can of that area? I hope they listen.”

Regarding residents’ concerns, Thompson said, “We understand the neighbors have concerns about development on the Transamerica site. We are working to address their concerns.”

Watson said Hunter Companies should think about its legacy and whether it leaves behind a “dead neighborhood” or a saved one with a great building. He thinks fewer people would have built homes in the area had there been certain commercial developments nearby.

“When they’re done, we’re going to have to deal with what’s left behind for the next 50 years or so,” Watson said.

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