Current Events 9/20/10

It has been a while!  I have been busy with work and life lately, so posting has been mostly absent the last couple months.  A number of notable events have happened lately that I have not had time to blog about, so I will summarize them below along with a link to the original article.

Design architect chosen for new Hancher Auditorium
Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects has been chosen as the design architect for the new Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City.  OPN Architects of Cedar Rapids was chosen as the architect-of-record a few months ago.  Pelli Clarke Pelli is known internationally for high-rise towers including the World Financial Center in New York and Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, while OPN Architects is working on a number of local projects including the Cedar Rapids Central Library and Cedar Rapids Events Center.
Pelli Clarke Pelli | OPN Architects

Cedar Rapids Fire Station / Amphitheater Win I-JOBS Funding
Governor Culver's I-JOBS initiative will provide $6.6 million for the new CRFD central fire station and west-side fire station, while $1.075 million will be earmarked toward a new riverfront amphitheater.  The new fire stations received the largest share of I-JOBS funding.

Discussion on the location of the new central fire station
Both the Taco Bell and History Center sites are game.  Personally, I would rather see a structure that maximizes available undeveloped land while avoiding removal of more property from the tax rolls.  Does the central fire station really need to sprawl over an entire city block so close to downtown?

Pomeranz Is On the Job as City Manager
Following the departure of city manager Jim Prosser earlier this year, Jeff Pomeranz has begun work as the replacement manager for the City of Cedar Rapids.  Jeff has a number of years of experience as the city manager for West Des Moines, one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S, and helped to land new campuses for AVIVA and Wells Fargo.  His first priority as city manager: to listen and learn.  Welcome, Jeff.

FEMA: the True North site is too costly for the new central library
After months of planning and careful selection of a new home for the Cedar Rapids central library, FEMA has declared that the current site is too expensive.  The agency is proposing to tear down the old library and construct the new one its place, elevated a foot higher.  One problem: the old library has already been sold to True North for use as its new company headquarters.

Council Again Votes to Close Second Avenue
The Cedar Rapids City Council has now voted twice to close Second Avenue for the new PCI medical mall. Many motorists and residents are in opposition of the closure, arguing it will create more congestion on First and Third Avenues.

And finally, a photo update on the status of the Federal Courthouse construction.