[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6059379,"mediaKeyId","3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154","parentId",3295167,"title","Council signals support to advance Grand Rail proposal for 21 South Lynn Street with affordable‑housing and micro‑retail priorities","audioSeconds",3357,"startMs",2774000,"endMs",6131000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154&start=2774&end=6131","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154/thumbnail_2774000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6059379/Iowa-City/Johnson-County/Iowa/Council-signals-support-to-advance-Grand-Rail-proposal-for-21-South-Lynn-Street-with-affordablehousing-and-microretail-priorities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059379-1f29b28f6b887d8885a53d90d8eccb2d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174569&Signature=bZckNMTu5es2rO3w8FaGKuZ7LsNj0AhejFZflNp7Q~eMPotrXb0Fy70sMEyBk4PPzn-5nBJ7QvUxfEJBn4iKF5jurScG4-7UQpyRMqp8qfdg-F9bl9yrCfk1G6JfR6nfJoiMYdwijRLJguDI27BebNCvFPppFeN7gZNbakorLDISX-ea1si0tBvDj1zRVHsxPB1VM80vI19FBWWEyJlL7NPYl6W-Ls-k3xBwJt7KA~dUER8ThHd2KMyWZH2AiaHyEmc8Z2OUq5ihBAHUYVTy~AO4dgIJgX~r-YVftlJWPXZm7N1T3LyIMClJBeFoQLXyv1u13STVBKuO4k0byGFqjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Iowa City","date","2025-05-07T14:03:28Z","article","City Manager briefed the Iowa City Council on May 6 that Iceberg Salida has withdrawn its proposal for the 21 South Lynn Street redevelopment, leaving Grand Rail (with Urban Acres and OPN Architects partners) as the sole remaining proposer. Council gave staff direction to move into a negotiation phase with Grand Rail to develop a purchase agreement.

Why it matters: The site is city‑owned and has been the subject of a public RFP process. The council’s selection of a preferred developer and the content of the purchase agreement will determine building scale, unit mix, ground‑floor uses and whether the project includes permanently affordable housing.

What council and the developer said: Mike Bales of Urban Acres (part of the Grand Rail team) told council the team is “flexible” and wants to convene stakeholders — city staff, the housing trust fund, Johnson County and nonprofit owners — to design a financially viable approach to permanent affordability. Council members repeatedly asked for clarity on height (the Grand Rail proposal presents about 6–8 stories as the workable range) and on the mix of uses for the ground floor.

Council priorities and specifics discussed: Several council members expressed a preference to maximize housing (including family‑sized two‑ and three‑bedroom units) and to allow the project to reach the upper end of the proposed height range if that would increase affordable unit yield. Councilors signaled support for micro‑retail spaces to provide small, lower‑cost storefronts downtown; the Grand Rail materials presented a 6,300‑square‑foot option for a single entertainment/retail tenant and alternative layouts showing multiple smaller retail units (individual micro retail unit sizes mentioned in the meeting ranged about 260–410 sq ft). A staff memo and council discussion noted the city land value concession in the RFP process (discussed in the meeting as roughly $1.5 million in reduced sale price) and that the next phase will require additional developer investment in design, feasibility and financing.

Decisions and next steps: Council did not take a formal binding purchase vote that night but directed staff to proceed to the next stage of negotiations with Grand Rail and to prioritize conversations with affordable‑housing stakeholders and community partners. Staff said the next step will be months of work to draft a purchase agreement spelling out height, unit counts, affordability commitments, ground‑floor uses and financial terms; the agreement will return to council for approval.

Ending: Council members thanked both development teams for participating in the RFP process and expressed a shared goal of producing housing downtown with accessible retail opportunities. Staff and Grand Rail will return with negotiated terms and greater specificity in a future council session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Iowa City Council Work Session May 6, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City Manager informed the Iowa City Council on May 6 that Iceberg Salida had withdrawn its proposal for the 21 South Lynn Street redevelopment and council directed staff to begin negotiations with the Grand Rail team, asking developers to prioritize permanent affordable housing and micro‑retail.","taxTitle","Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa","taxId",4187,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6059384,"Consultants present updated comprehensive‑plan findings: growth, sidewalks, and housing needs",1183,2052000,3235000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154&start=2052&end=3235","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154/thumbnail_2052000.jpg","/articles/6059384/Iowa-City/Johnson-County/Iowa/Consultants-present-updated-comprehensiveplan-findings-growth-sidewalks-and-housing-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059384-44ced720ec9da53186ee95ab833ee924/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174569&Signature=SCvHmRXCETeBFox-Z-u~Up8y7acmRvRhs~CEKDN93lEubdOntPBAbTUhIoCSDDSwZc1Xe3KmEIYabz17AVDatf2ey8CvkUyzpXOBs2E7F7bedfgMxi76OAwJBNIUfKryMk5MiTwcxilk3yio0hiBB6xtYeGYT6jUp7Ey-7Tel3DfgIQ-zrzkAGwBs-RloJG~1DWrhFBz7QhZFzhVMzu-tX8gMzoy8CHMke54LnuOd1Vwi~BNUC9-pPpGqbVHolPCr4eERBf9opBF-cFGEGIVNkyGVw2KqzzKRtsAYOD-BmPwBiudTzguXdVJEnkvjYO~P0YQXVH8UaTr9w4g8yBd1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Christopher Shires of Confluence Planning & Design and Jared Golbranson of WSP presented an existing‑conditions summary and public engagement plan for Iowa City's comprehensive plan update on May 6.

The consultants said Iowa City has had steady population growth in recent decades and projected a median scenario of roughly 95,000 residents by 2050 if current trends continue. Jared Golbranson summarized transportation analysis, pointing to annual average daily traffic peaks near the I‑80/Dodge area and pedestrian‑crash concentrations near the University of Iowa Hospitals and Burlington corridor. He noted sidewalk coverage is strong overall (about 400 miles) but includes gaps and segments in poor condition.

Why it matters: The comp‑plan update will guide long‑range decisions about housing, mobility, employment and land use. Confluence told council that housing is a high priority: the consultants estimated roughly 9,000 new housing units will be needed by 2050 under their baseline growth projection and flagged that about 62% of renter households currently are cost‑burdened (spending more than 30% of income on housing), while owner households show lower burden.

Key takeaways: The presentation identified downtown and the city core as areas of concentrated redevelopment. Office vacancy was about 11.5 percent in recent CoStar data, while industrial vacancy was low (~3%), and retail likewise showed low vacancy. Transit ridership has recovered partly due to a zero‑fare program; Iowa City Transit provided more than 1 million rides in 2023. The consultants emphasized public engagement: a randomized household survey, listening sessions (next session scheduled at the downtown library May 13 at 5:30 p.m.), stakeholder interviews and neighborhood meetings.

Quotes and clarifications: Jared Golbranson noted crash “hot spots” the team will study further and that sidewalk maintenance is often borne by adjacent property owners. Shires said the technical advisory committee has guided analysis and that future steps include targeted stakeholder outreach and developing policy recommendations.

Ending: The consultant team encouraged residents to visit the project website, participate in listening sessions and sign up for updates; staff said more detailed analyses — for example, vacancy broken down by housing type and more granular affordability targets — will appear in later drafts.","Confluence Planning & Design and WSP briefed council and planning commissioners on the comprehensive plan update, highlighting steady population growth projections to about 95,000 by 2050, sidewalk conditions, crash hot spots, transit ridership recovery, and a projected need for roughly 9,000 new housing units by 2050.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6059389,"Planning commissioners urge rezoning of North Governor Street site to allow multifamily housing",1638,387000,2025000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154&start=387&end=2025","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154/thumbnail_387000.jpg","/articles/6059389/Iowa-City/Johnson-County/Iowa/Planning-commissioners-urge-rezoning-of-North-Governor-Street-site-to-allow-multifamily-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059389-19ab7d29f1bc7d8e06ab53e467738da9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174569&Signature=SHPsflY0D1bvb0C6NjlNjt9JcoMuRgM2NX5rhPj0vPLPrWKsssk4wTkiovS6JIRJD1oQk6Pvb4xjURCd~pXD~E1Jal1JJKDnJNoGoYLdXgvZGsJAXWcIyZGE851p-uzuHjNKkg2puVl0THDV4K3Lgo9m-Wiwkg0xzHbx1Q8wj44VGQrvXaEa8jjxWp1hbzK66fNeFZ53mNBuYxbzcft8VHm6RgZK0wRwkoOcwajLqpOMZYd2J1jrmP~19A6GSx41lH1d1tKzHEKjMF4xb5AVOUADG1d6Eh4P2rRHKvRFVzWRvm9QCxZyX1dqV6Dk7kbxVegY5o6so8uDlzXJr7l9ZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Planning & Zoning Commission Chair Scott, speaking to the City of Iowa City Council on May 6, urged the council to approve a rezoning of parcels on North Governor Street to allow multifamily housing, calling it “a great opportunity to take land that's now mostly been blight and turn it into housing.”

The Planning & Zoning Commission (PNZ) presented its recommendation on a rezoning petition that would consolidate irregular, older zoning classifications and permit multifamily development under an RM-20 designation. Commissioners and council members said the site is close to grocery, transit and downtown and that updating the zoning would remove a patchwork of antiquated rules imposed after past litigation.

Why it matters: The city is contending with a shortage of housing and a high share of cost‑burdened renters. PNZ members said approving multifamily housing on this site would add supply in a transit‑served location and help address affordability at a citywide scale. The item is also notable because a neighborhood petition required a supermajority at PNZ and prompted the commission’s expanded briefing to council.

Most important facts: PNZ Chair Scott told council he voted to recommend rezoning because the site is near a grocery store, mass transit and arterial streets and because the city engineer found Dodge and Muscatine streets “substantially under capacity.” Commission members repeatedly framed the decision as one about zoning suitability rather than final design: “today we're essentially evaluating a rezoning petition,” Scott said, and design, scale and aesthetics would be handled later through the PUD and building codes.

Opposition and concerns: Commissioner Townsend, who identified herself as a neighborhood resident, said traffic direction and safety at the site worry neighbors: “Often, you have people going the wrong way,” she said, adding a concern about schoolchildren and older drivers crossing at nearby streets. Other speakers and some neighbors told PNZ they were not opposed to redevelopment but wanted a smaller scale project and improved access to the adjacent park. PNZ added screening conditions along the park and discussed a sidewalk connection but noted steep topography where a new sidewalk would be technically challenging.

Process and limits: Commissioners stressed the difference between rezoning (a land‑use decision) and the PUD/site plan (which governs building layout and aesthetics). Several commissioners told council that if applicants “follow all the rules” and meet zoning and building code standards, the city should provide predictability. PNZ also noted that mandatory on‑site affordable unit requirements apply only in specific contexts such as riverfront crossings or annexation land, so they cannot force affordable units on this site through rezoning alone.

Next steps: Council will consider the rezoning request in its formal proceedings. PNZ commissioners encouraged use of conditions in the PUD to address neighborhood concerns and said the detailed site plan and building permit processes are where scale, sidewalk connections and retaining‑wall screening are finalized.

Ending: Commissioners thanked council for the opportunity to brief them and urged transparent follow‑up as the project proceeds through PUD review and any purchase or development proposals.","Planning & Zoning commissioners told the Iowa City Council they recommended rezoning a cluster of parcels on North Governor Street to allow multifamily housing, citing proximity to transit, grocery and downtown and an opportunity to replace blight; some neighborhood members and one commissioner raised traffic, scale and park-access concerns.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6059369,"Council member promotes community engagement for Sycamore Mall/IC Marketplace strategic investment district planning",38,228000,266000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154&start=228&end=266","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154/thumbnail_228000.jpg","/articles/6059369/Iowa-City/Johnson-County/Iowa/Council-member-promotes-community-engagement-for-Sycamore-MallIC-Marketplace-strategic-investment-district-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059369-00c69c67d37f6e152224063e013b4fc8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174569&Signature=eKz9ZiWQagQiyKpfxykYzaaM1xOtTQS8y5G26u9iKR~tBmZTgE-~7ovP0mrhKAP6z5CoK0hl9QboLq9UUPYkiNHZzr5nwigd-jK8t8c0yX~dgxh3BV2LSJ5ktaTnkkoY1oc-Tgprc4O4nIjbdKe2Ir96XTWq6hR5Nv~kTCSPdY9RPSd9ouLrn5ruue6aOdptQ76S5GyqZ6CZH0z00cIMzZdhpo9j33Y3bjFwgL3HLM7PwSgPWaEI8bLAV9OTrFMyiVNJrVZQNu2o-DZ96kQYzQN07bHmQ~jfQRy-qH5UMisZO3b7DHd8HKRnZww0uSydmG23WIBDoWrG3snGrr9hUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During council updates on May 6, a councilor reported on an Economic Development Committee discussion about forming a strategic investment district in the Sycamore Mall/IC Marketplace area and said Greater Iowa City is leading outreach. The councilor praised the process as “all inclusive” and encouraged residents who live in or near the district to visit Greater Iowa City's website and attend community engagement sessions this summer.

Why it matters: A strategic investment district could shape future investment, redevelopment incentives and community engagement priorities in a sizable retail node near downtown, including the IC Marketplace (Panera and movie theater) and surrounding retail and residential areas.

Details from update: The councilor noted the district covers a broad area beyond the immediate mall parcel and emphasized outreach to east‑side residents. The councilor said Greater Iowa City and city staff will co‑promote engagement sessions and urged residents to share input on potential investment and land‑use choices.

Ending: The councilor’s update closed with an invitation for residents to get involved in the summer engagement schedule and for staff to coordinate promotion through city and Greater Iowa City channels.","A councilor reported that Greater Iowa City is leading community engagement for a proposed strategic investment district around the Sycamore Mall/IC Marketplace area and encouraged nearby residents—especially on the east side—to visit Greater Iowa City's website and attend sessions this summer.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6059374,"University student government asks Iowa City to proclaim MENA American Heritage Month and proposes wording changes",123,2346000,2469000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154&start=2346&end=2469","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295167-c0af7be30399f1a389bd30a99e8e9154/thumbnail_2346000.jpg","/articles/6059374/Iowa-City/Johnson-County/Iowa/University-student-government-asks-Iowa-City-to-proclaim-MENA-American-Heritage-Month-and-proposes-wording-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059374-5bf56d64fd71a4b2727ee305f17a2d88/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174569&Signature=nhZWa7uLdtQWaMJ05H-FuSAbhbLb76ngGSUsiokC-gmvDPudwGGKwiUp8E7~cL8Lc2F89bovgtqw3RYE9B45BBrEyF3J19myr5XzZM11Ij4V9gB-sn2f8tCfetbc~3rr4OkEmMcQll~ZFeo0vNSBWSrwb9DVre7lsMSs7t3RA02dChLiW7MA7l9VzI9D5NqkUSkQRqRlYrm1AjyQlDM0BRld7Th8KxTxOAtm~Yw93l0Uw0jzElch0mrzVmzLMP~BkgaxbbnjwH-0LcNtmTcpi9Tj-A5IcjBxOhNLpAmGKCs3fK~k~igo6snPnU1ZcCZ5Ah83g4pfN9Y-7q4BGm0yjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Shefat, a representative of the University of Iowa Student Government (USG), asked the City of Iowa City Council on May 6 to issue a proclamation recognizing April as Middle East and North African (MENA) American Heritage Month and to adopt two specific amendments to the draft proclamation language.

Why it matters: The request would align the city with USG and other jurisdictions that formally recognize MENA heritage and would be a symbolic municipal acknowledgement of the MENA community’s presence in Iowa. USG said April has been recognized annually by the federal government and by Linn County as a time to honor MENA American heritage.

Requested changes: USG asked that the proclamation explicitly list the countries they consider part of the MENA region (the presenter read a list into the record including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, the occupied Palestinian territories, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Malta, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Djibouti, and Yemen) to “humanize” and name communities. USG also requested that an existing whereas clause be revised so that Jewish people and Druze would be listed as subgroups under the umbrella term “Arabs” where appropriate rather than as separate ethnicities.

Process note: Shefat said USG passed SSR 1 on April 29 and would like the council to issue a proclamation; staff indicated proclamations route through the mayor’s office and offered to follow up with USG on annual‑proclamation possibilities and the technical process for wording changes.

Ending: Council members thanked the USG representatives and staff offered to connect with them about the mayoral proclamation process and the requested language edits.","University of Iowa Student Government asked the City Council to adopt a proclamation recognizing April as Middle East and North African (MENA) American Heritage Month, requested the proclamation list MENA countries explicitly and suggested reorganizing an ethnicity clause to include Arab subgroups within the Arab designation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council signals support to advance Grand Rail proposal for 21 South Lynn Street with affordable‑housing and micro‑retail priorities

Consultants present updated comprehensive‑plan findings: growth, sidewalks, and housing needs

Planning commissioners urge rezoning of North Governor Street site to allow multifamily housing

Council member promotes community engagement for Sycamore Mall/IC Marketplace strategic investment district planning

University student government asks Iowa City to proclaim MENA American Heritage Month and proposes wording changes