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Council hears CDBG‑DR update: Bell Tower Lofts construction underway, completion targeted summer 2026
Summary
At a required public hearing Paula Mitchell (ECOG) reported on the Bell Tower Lofts CDBG‑DR project: a $2,595,000 award for 30 units, construction underway with framing and drywall largely complete, and an amended timeline extending closeout to Dec. 31, 2026.
Paula Mitchell of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECOG) told the Marion City Council during a required public hearing that the Bell Tower Lofts project — a 30‑unit development at 1277 8th Avenue funded by a Community Development Block Grant‑Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) contract — is under construction and progressing toward completion.
Mitchell said the city received a CDBG‑DR contract in the amount of $2,595,000 from the Iowa Economic Development Authority for the construction of 30 units. Work began in summer 2024; roof repair and tuckpointing are complete, framing and mechanicals are approximately 60% complete, and interior drywall is roughly 75% complete. She said a contract amendment approved May 28, 2025 extended the performance timeline, and ECOG reported the project is currently on track for its revised schedule.
For expenditures through March 31, 2026, Mitchell described invoicing and construction costs reported to the city; because some numerical figures in the public presentation were unclear, she summarized that roughly $1.8 million has been invoiced overall with the largest share attributed to construction costs and a portion to project service delivery. Mitchell said the estimated completion date is July 2026, after which 51% of the units must be rented to income‑eligible renters under grant requirements; the remaining units may be market rate as permitted by the agreement.
Mitchell closed by summarizing remaining work (some drywall, mechanicals, finish carpentry and reinstallation of restored stained‑glass windows) and confirming the project remains on track to meet the amended schedule and closeout activities by the end of 2026.
No public comments were made on this item during the hearing.
