Opinions on tax vote vary in rebuilt New Bohemia

CEDAR RAPIDS - If there's one flood-ravaged Cedar Rapids neighborhood that's better than before, it's New Bohemia, where the momentum can be felt on nights when a well-known act booked at renovated CSPS Hall brings groups pre- and post-concert to nearby night spots.

On Saturday afternoons when residents of new homes and apartments a few blocks away share the enhanced streetscape - planned pre-flood - with idlers checking out galleries and antique and specialty shops and visitors to nearby museums, it's not such a stretch to imagine bigger crowds coming to the planned year-round farmers market.

“The assistance we've received from the federal and the state government and the city has been fantastic in rebuilding this area,” said Bob Chadima. “It's going to be a center of entertainment and culture in the future.”

Chadima and his brother David Chadima are co-owners of Cherry Building, 329 10th Ave. SE. After taking 7 feet of water on its first floor in June 2008, the former factory now houses small business and artists' studios drawing foot traffic from Third Street.

Chadima for one hopes Linn County voters approve the proposed 10-year local-option sales tax extension March 6, providing $20 million a year for flood protection.

“We don't want to go through (again) what we've been through the past four years,” said Chadima, whose Thorland Co. has plans for more neighborhood business and residential development. “We've put everything we have into rebuilding this area, and we certainly don't want to put it at hazard again.”

Across the river in Czech Village, which isn't and never will be as it was before, longtime restaurateur Al Zindrick doesn't endorse the extension.

“I'm going to remain neutral on that one,” Zindrick said after a long pause. But he has issues with the 10-year extension.

“Better than 20 years,” the extension that failed last May, said Zindrick. “I'd like to see five years, see what they're doing and if they're doing what they said they'd do, (vote for) another five.”

“Twenty years from now it's not going to be the same people in office,” agreed Michael Warta, Zindrick's partner in Smuggler's Wharf, 95 16th Ave. SW. “The new people in there have got to stick to the same plan.”

Zindrick, who also owns Al's Blue Toad across the street from Smuggler's, likes the flood-wall plan, though.

“I think it's a great idea because sooner or later we're going to need flood protection,” he said. “We had 8 feet of water in my restaurant.”

“It's smart the way they limited it to flood protection,” John Rocarek, owner of village landmark Sykora Bakery, 73 16th Ave. SW, said of this year's ballot. “I think it's important to do what we can to protect the city.”

A repeat of the '08 flood isn't a big topic among his neighbors, but Rocarek said visitors often ask about it.

“It's mostly the subject for people who haven't been here for a while,” he said. “It's something I hope won't happen in my lifetime. I think the odds are against it.”

“It's not only saving the museum, it's saving the neighborhoods around it,” said Gail Naughton, president of the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library. “We believe the Czech Village and New Bohemia have a great future not only for visitors from out of town but for people who live in town. We want to see it reach its potential.”

Naughton said the chance of another flood did play a role in the decision to move and elevate the museum. As big as that project is, it's still faster than the decade or so it will take to construct an effective wall and levee system.

“The only way that we could go ahead with a capital project to rebuild was to raise it up above the flood of '08 and remove it from the potential of any flood of that size,” she said. “We knew we couldn't wait that long to rebuild so we took the extra step of adding our own mitigation.”

“We're prepared to reside here either way,” said Tom Moore, executive director of Naughton's cross-river neighbor the African American Museum of Iowa, 55 12th Ave. SE. “However, for the good of the city I think it's (a flood protection project) the best option.”

Passing the tax extension “is going to send a message to the state Legislature as to how badly we want to be protected,” said Moore.

“We just need to get this protection in place so people will feel good about investing in the neighborhood,” said Chadima.

“You have to take care of your neighbors,” said Rocarek. “A lot of people don't feel that way, though.”