Three Proposals Reach Next Stage

Still in the Game
Chauncey Gardens
The Chauncey
4-0-4

Iowa City Public Art

      With most Councilors not expressing a preference for a particular proposal, the three that made the cut will undergo further review by City staff and the National Development Council, based in New York. Jeff Davidson, Director of Planning & Community Development, several times emphasized that the Council could reject all proposals and set new criteria for submission of another round of proposals, but the Council rejected that option on the basis that the remaining developers already had considerable resources invested.

     The City Finance Director has been removed from playing any financial oversight role due to a New Pioneer board member filing a complaint with the City Manager, accusing the Finance Director of having a conflict of interest because he personally does not support the relocation of the Co-op to the College/Gilbert site. It is bothersome that another member of the New Pi board, a City employee, has not been asked by the board to resign from one or the other position to avoid a perceived conflict of interest. It is apparently acceptable to some board members for a director/public employee to have a vigorous public voice in support of New Pi's relocation, but not acceptable for a public employee/co-op member to have an opinion expressed privately to New Pi directors. It makes one wonder whether other New Pi board members may have been working with City staff during the more than two years of this process in an effort to secure their desired relocation goal. A FOIA* request has been filed with the City by this blog's author in an attempt to better understand the process.

4-0-4

     The least attractive and totally unimaginative proposal (it looks like an inner city housing project of yore), is 4.0.4, a brown blob of commercial space and rental apartments with New Pioneer on the ground level. 4-0-4 has committed to Platinum Level LEED Certification and at eight stories it is the shortest of the proposals and would generate the least amount of property taxes. LEED Certification has come to be a desired end, but is time consuming and involves considerable expense. Please see the articles, LEED Advantages and Disadvantages, at http://www.lundygroup.com/about/historical-projects/green-projects-leed-certified/leed-benefits-and-disadvantages/ or, Top Pros and Cons of LEED Certification, at http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/design-architecture/top-pros-and-cons-of-leed/5879

Chauncey Gardens

      
     

     Chauncey Gardens (18 stories) and The Chauncey (16 or 20 stories) are more architecturally attractive and better meet the overall criteria established by the City; this is especially true of The Chauncey, which would expand downtown entertainment venues with a 12-lane bowling alley and two theaters managed by FilmScene. In addition, there is a cafe,art gallery and 35-room hotel. Chauncey Gardens mentions an "unspecified theater" in its proposal and has New Pioneer at ground level.  The height of both these proposals is of concern to some residents and the Council asked that shadow studies be done, but will that make a difference? They already agreed to put an incongruously tall building next to the Black Hawk mini-park, so any genuine concern is dubious; this area is not necessarily the start of any 'transition zone', which could just as logically be one block east to Van Buren Street.

     All of the proposals include a financial subsidy from the City, much of it TIF; TIF can take various forms including money up front, which would certainly be the least acceptable.


Carol deProsse 

*Freedom of Information Act