Couple proposes privately funded downtown pavilion and plaza; council asks for timelines and feasibility details

Decorah — Jim and Liz Fritz presented a privately funded proposal on Feb. 17 to create a downtown green plaza and solar-canopied performance pavilion intended to host the farmers market, community performances and provide public restrooms.

The presenters said the pavilion roof and canopies would be solar arrays intended to power plaza operations and could produce surplus electricity sold via a power purchase agreement (PPA). The Fritzs proposed a nonprofit manager (Pavilion Market Plaza Group) and said all private donations would be administered through the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. They estimated total project costs between $1.5 million and $1.75 million and offered an initial personal donation of $100,000.

Jim Fritz described site details, including a redesign of the lower co-op parking lot to accommodate an expanded farmers market (36 vendor spaces) while retaining 19 Woolen Mill parking spaces. He said canopies would maintain 15 feet of clearance for large vehicles and that the plaza would be sited roughly 100 feet from Water Street.

Council members reacted positively but raised multiple questions: confirmation of long-term funding for operations and maintenance, whether PPA revenues could be executed by the city or a nonprofit, timing to coordinate utilities with the city’s Hively project (staff indicated an April timeline for utility decisions), and whether extending utilities now would expose the city to future failure points. Staff recommended establishing clear checkpoints and timelines (e.g., an April 1 checkpoint and a July 4 deadline tied to IRA-related credits) and said any city commitments should be contingent on explicit fundraising milestones.

No formal action was required; council directed staff and interested councilmembers to work with the presenters on a checklist of what the city would need to see to keep the project moving.