City disagrees with FEMA anew; this time on funds for the flood-damaged First Street Parkade, long in the city's demolition plans

CEDAR RAPIDS - Another hope at City Hall has been dashed, for now, by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA has limited the city's access to funds which the city had thought it would get for use on an "improved" or "alternate" project because of flood damage to the city's First Street Parkade.

The city is moving ahead on long-standing plans to demolish the parkade.

The FEMA's position on the parkade came to light at the City Council meeting on Tuesday evening when the council moved ahead on a plan to upgrade technology in the city's parking ramps. For now, the council is seeking proposals from vendors for a "parking access and revenue control system." Such a system could cost $1.4 million, and the council had expected to pay for the system with FEMA funds related to the First Street Parkade that apparently now are not coming.

Greg Eyerly, the city's flood recovery director, on Wednesday said FEMA, for now, has decided that any funds from the parkade must go for new parking spaces, not improved operations.

In any event, most of the $1.3 million that FEMA might be willing to pay for the First Street Parkade is apt to be used up to pay for the demolition of the parkade, Eyerly said. Eyerly said the demolition could cost more than $1 million because of the way the parkade is connected to the existing flood wall.

The City Hall plans for access to FEMA funds for use on "alternate" or "improved" projects hasn't worked out as planned, not only for the parkade, but for at least three other flood-damaged, city-owned structures. The city had expected it might get $18 million or more for the former Sinclair plant, $14 million for the broken hydroelectric plant at the 5-in-1 bridge and a few million for Quality Chef buildings on Third Street SE in New Bohemia.

The council said it wants to appeal the parkade decision as it is appealing the other denials.