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Downtown SMID details Maze Island plan, activation programs and vacant-property mapping
Summary
The downtown SMID reported implementation progress and a workplan to the Cedar Rapids Finance Committee on April 15, including the Maze Island landmark and plantings, business-activation programs, vacant-property mapping and evaluation of a pilot trolley.
The downtown SMID reported implementation progress and a workplan to the Cedar Rapids Finance Committee on April 15, including the Maze Island landmark and plantings, business-activation programs, vacant-property mapping and evaluation of a pilot trolley for core-district connectivity.
The downtown presenter (first name Scott) said the SMID’s assessment is $2.75 per $1,000 and that the organization’s annual budget is “just under a million dollars.” The SMID is using its vision and implementation plan to guide projects such as a 9-foot-by-26-foot Cedar Rapids sign visible from I‑380 on Maze Island, plantings and a sculpture site, and tree plantings along the island’s edge. The presenter said the sign location was chosen to improve ADA rail access and line‑of‑sight from the highway.
Activation programs include a revamped Race for the Space pitch competition with mentorship for winners (tentatively pitched for Aug. 13), an internship program tied to summer maintenance crews, a planned pop‑up art gallery, an expanded events calendar (including a new weeklong “5 Seasons Fit” wellness series) and promotion of “SIP Local Saturdays” and a downtown happy hour program aimed at weekday foot traffic. The SMID is working with the Innovation Council, Kirkwood and Coe for student engagement and with CRST and other partners on marketing and venue support.
The SMID reported data on pedestrian/visitor counts from Placer.ai showing increased weekend foot traffic on the Sapa Dapo route—roughly 5,000 visitors in 2023 and about 11,100 in 2024; the presenter said demand for downtown events and activity is strong. The SMID is developing a story map of vacant property for lease and sale to make building and site data accessible to developers, and is coordinating with the city’s retail consultant on strategy.
The trolley pilot received mixed survey feedback; riders who replied positively cited convenience while other respondents said it did not meet some transportation needs and asked for real‑time tracking. The SMID is exploring whether Horizon Transit or surplus trolley purchases could address those critiques without excessive cost.
No formal committee action was requested; committee members praised progress and emphasized continued attention to maintenance, safety perceptions, and connecting new hotel/convention activity across the river to downtown businesses.
