International Downtown Association Selects Cedar Rapids, Iowa for Award of Distinction
The International Downtown Association (IDA) has announced that Cedar Rapids, Iowa has received the Downtown Achievement Award of Distinction for the Phase 1 River Corridor Redevelopment Plan and the Phase 2 Neighborhood Planning Process.
The project was one of 77 award submissions IDA received this year as part of its Downtown Achievement Awards. “The number and breadth of entries made judging a difficult task,” said Jane Jenkins, chairman of IDA and the awards program. “The awards jury was impressed with the accomplishments of the winners and is pleased to honor Cedar Rapids, Iowa among them.”
The 2009 Downtown Achievement Award winners were recognized during IDA’s 55th Annual Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin September 11-15, 2009. The award recognized the planning process as a partnership among multiple City of Cedar Rapids departments, City Council, and agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, the Downtown District, Chamber of Commerce, and Linn County. Efforts of this process were guided by a multi-disciplinary consultant team, lead by Sasaki Associates, with experts including urban planners, urban designers, landscape architects, hydrologists, transportation engineers, and other specialists.
Input from the community during both project phases include 6000 hours from over 4100 attendees, including those with an interest in the development and revitalization of the downtown area.
“We are honored to receive this international recognition,” said Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran. “This award acknowledges the hard work and dedication of the entire Cedar Rapids community as we work together to rebuild our city after the devastating Flood of 2008. We’re pleased with the award for our downtown redevelopment plans, but the results of our efforts are for the benefit of all the citizens of Cedar Rapids who have suffered a great deal.”
“The Flood of 2008 changed the roles of property owners, business operators, government entities among many others,” said Connie Chapman, Board Chair for the Cedar Rapids Downtown District. “The Cedar Rapids Downtown District staff and multiple representatives of downtown advocated for moving ahead on the road to recovery and continue to execute plans for guiding Downtown Cedar Rapids into a successful, vibrant and economically strong community.”
Collectively, the completed Phase 1 and Phase 2 plans embody a compelling vision for Cedar Rapids over the next 15 years. They envision a sustainable Cedar Rapids characterized by strong pedestrian, transit and vehicular connections between Downtown, the neighborhoods and the Cedar River, with a network of diverse open spaces. The Plans imagine vibrant, revitalized neighborhoods with a variety of housing types, diverse economic opportunities, and thriving cultural destinations.
About the International Downtown Association
Founded in 1954, the International Downtown Association (IDA) has more than 650 member organizations worldwide including: North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Through a network of committed individuals, rich body of knowledge and unique capacity to nurture community-building partnerships, IDA is a guiding force in creating healthy and dynamic centers that anchor the well being of towns, cities and regions of the world.
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