Iowa City poised to welcome rooftop patios

IOWA CITY - The Iowa City Council will soon consider a third and final reading of an ordinance that will allow some businesses to grow vertically - through the use of rooftop spaces.

The ordinance outlines which buildings are eligible to consider creating a rooftop service area, noise restrictions and elevator accessibility requirements. For one downtown bar owner, it's a step toward something he's hoped for since 2007.

'In the last two years I really started talking to the city about it,” said Brian Flynn, owner of Joe's Place, located on Iowa Avenue. 'The big thing is, if you start looking at the demand for outdoor seating in Iowa City, we're putting seating out in the street, I figured why not try to do it on a rooftop.”

Flynn already has plans in place to retrofit the space above Joe's Place. Right now, exposed wires, a bulky HVAC system and other debris litter the open area. He plans to build safety walls around the perimeter, add landscaping to help control excess noise and install an upstairs bar and kitchen area. Employees and customers will get to the new area by using a new set of stairs and an elevator.

'The point is you get to see all the skyline people don't normally get to see when they're in the bar restaurant,” Flynn said.

And although the ordinance will restrict where rooftop patios may pop up, Flynn believes the change will positively impact all businesses in the area.

'Being able to bring a new level of entertainment for the bar industry downtown, I think is not only good for the bars and restaurants, it's good for retail, some of the restaurants that don't serve alcohol, things like that,” he said. 'Bringing a more lively atmosphere to downtown.”

That's a sentiment officials with the Iowa City Downtown District have heard from other business owners.

According to Nancy Bird, outdoor eating spaces are increasing in popularity. She said upward expansion will help meet that demand and build up customer traffic for other retailers.

'It's the hot, new trend,” Bird said. 'We see the more of that we have downtown, the more people it draws. The more people we have downtown the better.”

The council will vote on the final reading of the ordinance on September 15th.