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The Mill in Iowa City set to be demolished soon
Jan. 11, 2022 6:00 am
IOWA CITY — The Mill in Iowa City is set for demolition, pending a permit. A demolition notice appeared on the vacant building in late December.
Iowa City owner Marc Moen, a developer and partner in the Moen Group, applied for a demolition permit on Dec. 21. The building can be demolished after the permit is issued.
The building at 120 E. Burlington St. has been empty since 2020, when owners Dan Ouverson and Marty Christensen announced the staple’s closure. The Mill, an Iowa City institution for almost 60 years, had been in the building for 48 years.
It first opened in 1962 as the Coffee Mill, a folk music venue and coffee shop, before moving to Burlington Street. It was previously slated to close in 2003, before Ouverson and Christensen stepped in at the 11th hour to buy the business.
After some remodeling in 2003, The Mill continued as a mainstay for live music, community gatherings, fundraisers and political candidates stumping in Iowa City. It temporarily closed with pandemic-related shutdowns in May 2020 before announcing permanent closure in June 2020.
First built in 1922, the property is currently valued at $1.16 million, according to the Johnson County Assessor’s office.
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Mazahir Salih, at-large candidate for Iowa City Council, speaks at The Mill on Nov. 7, 2017. Elected that year, she did not seek re-election this past fall. The Mill, which closed in June 2020 and is facing demolition, has been a staple on the music, arts and political scene. (Mary Mathis)
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