PCI receives variance for parking

A variance granted by the city's Board of Adjustment means Physicians' Clinic of Iowa won't have to add more parking to the 1,024 spaces already planned for its forthcoming medical mall.

With four of five members present Monday, May 9, 2011, the board unanimously approved PCI's request.

PCI plans to add a 15,000-square-foot partial third floor to its medical mall, to be built between 10

^th

and 12

^th

streets on Second Avenue SE.

City code requires seven parking spaces per 1,000-square-feet for medical office developments, but PCI had previously received a variance that calls for five spaces per 1,000-square-feet.

Monday's vote means that PCI won't have to add another 75 parking spaces for the additional level, which brings the building to 221,144-square-feet.

CEO Mike Sundall said the floor, to be funded through the New Markets Tax Credit program, will primarily be used as a community education center, with a small amount of office space.

Sundall said PCI requested $2 million in tax credits. The program, established in 2000, encourages investment in low-income and impoverished communities.

Board Chairman David Lodge said PCI would have to address parking if it becomes an issue.

“Let's save some green space,” he said.

A clause was added so the issue could return to the board if parking becomes a problem.

Board members Michael Dryden, Michael Gumm and Todd Barker joined Lodge in granting the variance. William Vernon was absent.

One opponent spoke at the meeting.

Bernie Drahozal of Cedar Rapids questioned why the city would give another “gift” to PCI.

Vern Zakostelecky, the city's land development coordinator, said preliminary research conducted for the city's community development committee show that other cities require fewer parking spaces than Cedar Rapids for medical offices.

Doug Laird of Skogman Realty Commercial, who spoke on behalf of PCI, said requiring spaces for the building's lineal size might not be the best way to compute parking needs.

For example, he said, an atrium will occupy about 20,000-square-feet, so a number of parking spots are allotted for space that won't be used for medical offices.

Zakostelecky said the City Council could eventually vote to change parking requirements, but any change would not affect the number of spaces required for PCI's medical mall, scheduled to open in late 2012 or early 2013.

Preservationists have raised concerns about the number of historic buildings in the area that may be razed for parking.

Two blocks of Second Avenue SE will close on Monday, May 16 for the $47 million project, which includes a four-story parking ramp.