Siegal Building Coming Down

Over the last week crews have been tearing down the former Siegal's Jewelry building on the corner of 3rd Avenue SE and 1st Street SE, which also housed a few other businesses including ScoreBid.  This lot was purchased by the Cedar Rapids Downtown District following the flood. The building is best known for the "Bent Not Broken - We Survive" message spray painted onto a scrap of plywood and sort of became the unofficial motto for Cedar Rapids following the devastating '08 flood.

There was little architectural merit to this building so very little was lost.  Once cleared, the lot will become surface parking until development plans are solidified for the block.  There are two neighboring structures will likely come down at a later date.  Mixed-use housing should be a priority for the downtown area going forward, and this block would be a perfect candidate with the Paramount next door and the growing commercial corridor along 1st Street SE.  With potential riverfront improvements, this area of downtown could really shape up in ways similar to Court Avenue is Des Moines.  Recently I was out on Court Avenue and was surprised by how active the nightlife is compared to a few years ago when I lived in Des Moines.  A combination of downtown housing, new businesses, streetscape improvements, and progress on the Principal Riverwalk has done an amazing job transforming what was a dead neighborhood circa 2004.  

First Avenue SE is being revitalized in many ways similar to Court Avenue: a growing nightlife district, proximity to the river, warehouse conversions, and a courthouse towering beyond as a bookend.  The only lingering questions are how the city will handle the Ground Transportation Center, the former library, and the Great Furniture Mart.  The Great Furniture Mart is a former wholesale grocery that was built in the 1920's and was vacant for a number of years prior to the flood.  It had a twin across the street that was torn down in the early 1980's to make way for the downtown library.  The Great Furniture Mart would be another opportunity to bring residential housing or commercial offices to downtown.  As it is one of the last remnants of the former 1st Street warehouse district, hopefully it will be saved and refurbished.