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Iowa City Downtown District offers $15,000 grants for new retailers
Maintaining balance ’more pressing goal now more than ever,’ district says

Apr. 15, 2021 10:02 am
“The vast majority of space interest is coming from national and local restaurant and food establishments,” says Nancy Bird, executive director of the Iowa City Downtown District. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Iowa City Downtown District announced it is offering $15,000 grants for those who sign new soft-goods retail leases.
First-floor vacancy levels are at about 4 percent, according to ICDD, but the district is hoping to maintain a balance in types of businesses downtown — “ a more pressing goal now more than ever,” according to a news release Wednesday.
“The vast majority of space interest is coming from national and local restaurant and food establishments,” ICDD Executive Director Nancy Bird said in the news release.
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“In order to keep a mix of offerings downtown, the timing is actually really good to go out and incentivize new independent retail merchants and encourage them to give downtown a look..”
ICDD also is offering one year of complimentary retail delivery and the option to sell products on its downtowniowacitymarket.com online store.
More information on the grants is available at downtowniowacity.com/do-business.
Comments: (319) 398-8394; john.steppe@thegazette.com