A better option

By The Gazette Editorial Board

We're glad to hear that Alliant Energy and the city of Cedar Rapids are considering a new site for a substation that stirred controversy in the New Bohemia neighborhood.

Alliant had expressed a preference for building a large substation at the old Iowa Iron site just east of the Cherry Building and not far from the neighborhood's core along Third Street SE.

That plan drew nearly

universal condemnation

from New Bohemia residents,

business owners and boosters. More than 300 people signed a petition in opposition to the project.

Last Wednesday, Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett said the City Council also does not favor locating the substation close to New Bohemia.

Millions of private and public dollars are being invested in developing the historic neighborhood, and Corbett argued that the council would be loathe to approve anything that hurt those efforts.

By Friday, word came that council member Don Karr suggested an alternative site, the Rescar property, east of the Sinclair plant site. Early indications are that all parties see promise in Rescar, also already owned by the city.

City leaders recognized the importance of New Bohemia's future and still found an alternative that could satisfy the needs of an important industry. Details have to be worked out, but a happy ending is in sight.