Grant Wood art, sign will welcome motorists to MedQuarter district

CEDAR RAPIDS - A larger-than-permitted sign and a mural of reproductions of two of Grant Wood's paintings will greet motorists entering the MedQuarter regional medical district from Interstate 380.

The UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital sign and mural project got the go-ahead on Monday, when the city's Board of Adjustment approved a variance permitting the 22-foot-wide sign on a hospital-owned building at 625 A Ave. NE. The sign will read 'Welcome to the MedQuarter regional medical district.”

The building, a one-time truck service center which the hospital uses for storage, will continue to have a second directional sign to point motorists to the hospital and its emergency room.

Board member Sue Lowder said she hoped the MedQuarter welcome sign wouldn't cause motorists to miss the directional sign.

Jeff Harding, a partner with MediaQuest Signs in Cedar Rapids, said the sign and mural should be in place in the weeks ahead.

The mural of Iowa native Wood's 'Spring in the Country” and 'Young Corn” paintings will be 19-and-a-half feet tall and 58 feet wide, including the title, 'Grant Wood Artwork.” and an explanation of the art.

The mural did not need a variance.

Harding also secured variances from the Board of Adjustment for two existing St. Luke's monument signs in the MedQuarter medical district at 1100 First Ave. NE and 1025 A Ave. NE, and he said monument signs at 1026 A Ave. NE and 855 A Ave. NE did not need variances but will add MedQuarter wording.

Vern Zakostelecky, a planner with the city, said the city is working on design rules for the medical district to address signage so additional MedQuarter signs won't need to seek variances. The rules should be in place by March, he said.