Hunter
08/23/22
The Coralville City Council will be considering the third and final reading of an ordinance that would lead to the redevelopment of a prime piece of Coralville Strip land.
The 12-acre area at the corner of First Avenue and Second Street is considered a gateway into the city from the University of Iowa. It currently features some affordable housing, restaurants and businesses, as well as a number of vacant or abandoned buildings. A 2014 study called the area too auto dependant, with an overabundance of curb cuts.
The redevelopment, called the Gather Iowa plan, would feature a mixed use of multifamily housing, retail, restaurants and greenspace. The first reading rezoning the area passed 4-0 and the second 3-1.
Concerns about displacing the current residents have been brought up by Mayor Meghann Foster and councilor Hai Huynh. They say many of those residents have jobs within walking distance, and displacing them to other units in the city may hamper their ability to get to work. Foster, who as mayor doesn’t have a vote on the matter, said that “truly affordable” housing should be part of the plan. There’s also a desire to give current businesses the opportunity to be part of the redevelopment instead of being displaced.
City Development Director Dave Johnson has said that wholesale redevelopment is needed in the area instead of a parcel-by-parcel upgrade.
If the rezoning passes on Tuesday, there are still several approval steps that need to be taken, including a development-ready site plan. Mayor Foster said that will give the city some time to work out the details of the development while including current residents and businesses in their discussions.