8.06.2010
Construction Update 8/6/10
Just a quick update before I leave tomorrow for my vacation in Florida. The installation of precast along the north facade has been moving along quickly the last couple weeks. The top photo was taken today, and the bottom photo is from last week.
8.02.2010
Gateway to the City
An article was published today about a topic I have thought about since the first day I entered Cedar Rapids from the south about two and a half years ago. I am a native of western Iowa and had only been to Cedar Rapids once before. The first time visiting the city while I was a sophomore in college, I came in on Highway 30 west and was greeted by the sickly sweet smell of ADM and a fog wafting over the highway. The second time visiting the city one dreary April morning, when I was to spend the day apartment shopping, I entered from I-380 and was greeted by ADM yet again, a strip club, and the forlorn-looking entrance sign described in the article. Needless to say, Cedar Rapids did not leave a good first impression on me as a newcomer.
In the following months I discovered the interesting architecture and neighborhoods off the beaten path. I came to realize that Cedar Rapids has plenty of hidden gems despite the poor job advertising itself to those passing through. Having grown up near Omaha and lived in Des Moines for two summers, I was able to see two cities that have completely transformed their entrance gateways. Omaha did a remarkable job cleaning up Abbot Drive between the airport and downtown. Formerly laden with rusting chemical tanks and abandoned rail yards, the area was razed and Abbot Drive was realigned to pass by the new Qwest Center. A riverfront park, boat landing, and residential developments were established. Metal hallide streetlights was installed between the airport and Qwest Center, creating a modern, brightly lit corridor that helped Omaha shed its cow town image to newcomers.
Des Moines performed an even more extensive renewal of its gateway corridors. I-235 was completely reconstructed, widening and modernizing the original 1950's Macvicar Expressway through downtown. A series of wide tree-lined boulevards known as Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway was constructed to wrap around the west and south sides of downtown allowing higher volumes of traffic to enter and exit. A number of arched pedestrian bridges were constructed over I-235 to reconnect neighborhoods that were divided fifty years earlier by the highway. As with Omaha, metal hallide street lighting helped brighten the corridors into the city.
Those are two nearby cities whose corridors have helped to transform their image to the tens of thousands of people who pass by every day. In Cedar Rapids' case, landscaping along I-380 south would be beneficial toward hiding some of the less desirable sights along the corridor. New standards should be enforced for pole signage along I-380, and a limit should be placed on the number of billboards, especially digital billboards, that tend to pop up along heavily traveled roads. As councilman Karr suggested, a new entrance sign should be studied that highlights some of the key attractions in Cedar Rapids. Better directional signage to downtown attractions and a revitalized First Avenue and Diagonal Drive should also be studied.
One of the most unique aspects of the Cedar Rapids transportation network is the I-380 flyover that wraps around downtown. The overpass offers an amazing vantage point with a spectacular view of the city from the curve. Unfortunately, I-380 is showing its age, and the aesthetics from street level leaves much to be desired. One simple solution would be for the Iowa DOT to repaint the overpasses a lighter color instead of the circa 1975 pea green that currently dominates.
Cedar Rapids has a long, proud history as a center of industry in the region. However, it needs to find a way to preserve that heritage while shedding the rust belt image that lingers. A new library, courthouse, and events center will do wonders to revitalize downtown, but making sure we revitalize our gateways to draw people to our booming downtown should be an equally top priority.
KCRG Article
In the following months I discovered the interesting architecture and neighborhoods off the beaten path. I came to realize that Cedar Rapids has plenty of hidden gems despite the poor job advertising itself to those passing through. Having grown up near Omaha and lived in Des Moines for two summers, I was able to see two cities that have completely transformed their entrance gateways. Omaha did a remarkable job cleaning up Abbot Drive between the airport and downtown. Formerly laden with rusting chemical tanks and abandoned rail yards, the area was razed and Abbot Drive was realigned to pass by the new Qwest Center. A riverfront park, boat landing, and residential developments were established. Metal hallide streetlights was installed between the airport and Qwest Center, creating a modern, brightly lit corridor that helped Omaha shed its cow town image to newcomers.
Des Moines performed an even more extensive renewal of its gateway corridors. I-235 was completely reconstructed, widening and modernizing the original 1950's Macvicar Expressway through downtown. A series of wide tree-lined boulevards known as Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway was constructed to wrap around the west and south sides of downtown allowing higher volumes of traffic to enter and exit. A number of arched pedestrian bridges were constructed over I-235 to reconnect neighborhoods that were divided fifty years earlier by the highway. As with Omaha, metal hallide street lighting helped brighten the corridors into the city.
Those are two nearby cities whose corridors have helped to transform their image to the tens of thousands of people who pass by every day. In Cedar Rapids' case, landscaping along I-380 south would be beneficial toward hiding some of the less desirable sights along the corridor. New standards should be enforced for pole signage along I-380, and a limit should be placed on the number of billboards, especially digital billboards, that tend to pop up along heavily traveled roads. As councilman Karr suggested, a new entrance sign should be studied that highlights some of the key attractions in Cedar Rapids. Better directional signage to downtown attractions and a revitalized First Avenue and Diagonal Drive should also be studied.
One of the most unique aspects of the Cedar Rapids transportation network is the I-380 flyover that wraps around downtown. The overpass offers an amazing vantage point with a spectacular view of the city from the curve. Unfortunately, I-380 is showing its age, and the aesthetics from street level leaves much to be desired. One simple solution would be for the Iowa DOT to repaint the overpasses a lighter color instead of the circa 1975 pea green that currently dominates.
Cedar Rapids has a long, proud history as a center of industry in the region. However, it needs to find a way to preserve that heritage while shedding the rust belt image that lingers. A new library, courthouse, and events center will do wonders to revitalize downtown, but making sure we revitalize our gateways to draw people to our booming downtown should be an equally top priority.
KCRG Article
