Iowa City hires consultant for zoning work

IOWA CITY – The city will hire a consultant to help with zoning issues related to a changing downtown and the neighborhood to the south.

The City Council voted 7-0 Tuesday night to hire HDR Engineering Inc. to develop plans for downtown and the Riverfront Crossings neighborhood. The work will cost an estimated $164,440, with $50,000 coming from a state grant.

The work will identify possible changes to zoning regulations in the districts, with city officials hoping that helps them with their goals of attracting more retailers, office space and owner-occupied housing downtown, and for a major redevelop of Riverfront Crossings.

HDR also is to provide a housing and office market assessment for the areas.

The City Council last month agreed to join the University of Iowa in hiring a consultant to study the retail possibilities downtown.