IC City Council presented with resident preferences for use of vacant downtown lot
Hunter
06/05/24
Members of the Iowa City City Council were presented with the results of a resident survey regarding the use of a vacant downtown lot.
The lot, at the corner of Linn and Washington streets, was purchased by the city so that they could have the power to make a decision on how it’s developed.
Public input sessions were conducted from February to May, and a survey was available online. The top five preferences were for green or park space, affordable housing, a marketplace-like independent retail space, mixed-use development, and a desire to protect the existing mural on the property to the west on Washington Street.
Other respondents said the area didn’t need another bar, vape shop, or liquor store on the lot. They also discouraged the use of the property for luxury housing, a high-rise building, or for additional parking.
The city is leaning towards creating a mixed-use development on the lot. A request for proposals will be completed and they would be reviewed from September to December. A company to spearhead the project is expected to be hired in early 2025.
The lot was the site of the original City Hall until its demolition in 1962.