Goodbye park, hello bio cells at Westdale

Sometimes, sadly, pretty pictures and profitability don't mix.

Case in point, the park that was supposed to go at the center of the Westdale redevelopment on the city's west side. Back in 2013, when the very first renderings were released showing how a half-dead mall would be transformed into a 'vibrant mixed-use lifestyle destination,” the park stole the show. It featured tree-lined green space, broad walkways, tables with umbrellas, even a large fountain.

This was no typical shopping center or strip mall. They called it a 'town center.” It would put the style back in our lifestyle. OK, maybe not.

Not long ago, an updated site plan for the development surfaced. The park, it seemed, had disappeared.

Sure enough, it's gone. On April 12, the Cedar Rapids City Council approved site plan modifications requested by Frew Development Group that transforms the park into parking. An unnamed proposed tenant for the first floor of the old Von Maur store asked for more close-in parking spots. When you're trying to fill a $90 million retail development with retail, you don't quibble over some grass, I suppose.

The change was tucked into the council's consent agenda, approved quietly alongside the bills to be paid and liquor licenses to be renewed. It didn't get much attention. And, according to Jennifer Pratt, the city's community development director, a previous site plan amendment I missed already had cut the park in half. This finished it off.

So you can toss those pretty park pictures. Economic realities can be hard, pavement hard.

Planners still are pressing to make Westdale visually appealing.

'From our perspective, from a planning perspective, it is important to make sure we create a sense of place so it does feel different, doing that through signage,” Pratt said. 'We also want to make sure we have not just concrete parking.”

What does it say about us, the American consumer, that we want close parking spots more than green spaces? I'll let you stroll to your own conclusions. I'd join you, but it's a long way to walk. And I'm carrying all these doorbusters. Ate too many gut-busters. You understand.

Pratt points out that additional pedestrian walkways have been added to the project, connecting it with nearby neighborhoods. So you can walk off that gut-buster, if you so desire.

I bring this park stuff up for a couple of reasons.

First, your city put a $5 million grant into this project, approved a 14-year 100 percent property tax break through TIF and guaranteed an $11.5 million bank loan. So I think folks should be kept fully abreast of what it is they're funding, breaking and backing.

A fountained park is no longer on the list. But hey, on the bright side, you've gained a Burlington Coat Factory. Much more practical.

Second, when I see green space turning into pavement, I immediately wonder about runoff, water quality and all the other stuff people swear I write about too often. Or maybe they just swear.

So does the loss of the park mean more runoff rushing into the city's storm sewers and on downstream?

I'm told that's not the case. The good news in the latest site plan amendment is the addition of eight 'bio cells,” or pervious ditches carved out in the parking lots to catch, filter and absorb runoff. A large bio cell will be located along a curve on Westdale Drive.

'It encourages infiltration,” said Joe Mailander, development services manager for the city. 'All along on this site, we've primarily been looking at water quality treatment as opposed to water quantity treatment.”

Creation of the bio cells actually reduces the number of total parking spots by 151.

Of course, I'd like to see even more measures on the site to stop and soak up runoff. But compared to what Westdale was, a massive nearly unbroken expanse of impermeable surfaces, this is an improvement.

We'll see what else develops at Westdale in the coming months. We can always hope for an umbrella table comeback.

l Comments: (319) 398-8452; todd.dorman@thegazette.com