Sinclair Park

One of the items generating controversy of late has been attempts by the Cedar Rapids Historic Preservation Commission to preserve the 100+ year old smokestack of the former Sinclair meatpacking plant.  The 160-foot tall stack towers over the crumbling Sinclair packing facility, a victim of flood and arson that is currently undergoing demolition.  While it may sound unimpressive at first, the Sinclair smokestack is unique in the fact that it is one of the tallest brick stacks still standing in the United States.  The Sinclair stack is also a symbol of the T.M. Sinclair Company, one of the four large meatpacking conglomerates that rose to prominence in the early 20th century.  The Cedar Rapids facility was one of the largest in the world.

I think the Sinclair smokestack is a valuable asset to Cedar Rapids and something that should be preserved.  It is a unique urban feature that may not be appreciated now, but generations down the road it will be a physical symbol of the great packing warehouses of the early 20th century.  It represents a time when American industrial might was unmatched in the world; a time when the captains of industry forged ahead with brave, bold ideas and innovation.


So now, onto the question: what to do with the Sinclair stack when the Sinclair meatpacking facility is torn down and it stands alone in a vacant field?  Originally when I imaged the stack in an urban setting, an image of Columbus Circle in New York popped into my head.  Columbus Circle is a roundabout near Central Park surrounded by a dense urban neighborhood in the heart of Manhattan.  In the center of the roundabout, a statue of Columbus stands tall on a column that towers over the plaza.  I began thinking of the stack as a landmark, something that could act as the centerpiece of a streetscape or boulevard surrounded by mixed-use residential and commercial development.


With that, I started sketching away.  In the idea below, the smokestack would stand in the middle of a low-traffic boulevard or pedestrian promenade between the river and loft homes, condos, & retail.  Utilizing principles of new urbanism, this neighborhood (which I am calling Sinclair Park) would feature dense, walkable development and plenty of greenspace along the waterfront.  One idea is that a new bridge could be constructed across the river to connect C St. SW with 3rd St. SE.  It would run directly east of Mount Trashmore (a local nickname for the mountainous landfill at the bend in the Cedar River), traveling southeast where it would eventually meet up with C St. SW.  Here's to hoping Mount Trashmore would be permanently closed by that time!

Sinclair Park neighborhood (imagined).  Downtown Cedar Rapids seen in background.

Ultimately, the goal of Sinclair Park would be a neighborhood not unlike the Omaha Old Market or Kansas City Power & Light District in feel, if not age.  Cedar Rapids has a rich industrial past and should do everything to preserve what little remains of its early industrial heritage while continuing to encourage new development and principles of new urbanism.