New student housing project coming to South Riverside Drive in Iowa City

IOWA CITY — Demolition has started to make way for a new student housing development along South Riverside Drive in Iowa City.

The proposed six-story Riverfront West housing project is at the corner of South Riverside Drive and Myrtle Avenue on about four acres of land. It is across from Dairy Queen and Kelly’s Auto and Powersports.

This project at 525 South Riverside Drive is just over a mile away from Kinnick Stadium, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and a handful of university dorms.

Draft designs being reviewed by city staff describe the project as a “new market-rate student housing project.” There are 291 units proposed with 648 beds, along with a parking garage and “associated site improvements.”

The building will be 196,466 square feet. A total of 507 parking spaces are proposed in the draft plan, along with 201 bike parking spaces.

Once the various administrative reviews are approved by city staff, the development team can begin construction.

Scannell Properties, a real estate development company with headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., is working with local architecture firm Shive-Hattery and Des Moines-based DCI Group.

Scannell Properties told The Gazette they are not able to discuss the project. Shive-Hattery and DCI Group did not respond to requests for comment.

The development team applied for 11 demolition permits for vacant buildings on the land, including apartment complexes and single-family homes, according to city records.

The city council in December 2020 unanimously approved rezoning the nearly four acres of land to make way for a proposed project from the developers in the Riverfront Crossings District from the team.

Comments: (319) 339-3155; izabela.zaluska@thegazette.com