New Boys & Girls Club of the Corridor building advances

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids City Council gave the green light last week for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Corridor to rezone property where the organization is building a permanent location in Cedar Rapids.

The group hasn’t had a stand-alone building since the flood of 2008 and has operated out of various locations throughout the city, including the First Congregational United Church of Christ, at the corner of 17th Street and Washington Avenue SE in Wellington Heights.

The property at 1602 Washington Ave. SE will be rezoned from single-family to public institutional, pending a second and possible third consideration of the ordinance, to make way for the new 16,800-square-foot facility.

The club estimates the new building will boost capacity to serve an additional 300 children and teens, nearly doubling the number of youth currently served by the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Corridor.

Previously shared plans call for the first floor of the building to contain a gymnasium, cafeteria, game room, an education center and a STEM lab. The second floor will have a teen center, teaching kitchen, an art room and a music room with a DJ booth.