EPA has awarded the City of Waterloo $2.65 million in brownfields grants since 2000. These funds have helped inventory, prioritize, assess, and cleanup numerous blighted properties across the community. Here are a few of our favorite “before and after” photographs. Cedar Valley SportsPlex City of Waterloo Public Works Building Grand Crossing 1 and 2 SingleSpeed… Read more »
EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant funds assisted the City of Waterloo in acquiring three blighted parcels along its riverfront. A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) allowed the City to complete its All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) due diligence prior to taking title. Adopted long-range planning documents depict future multi-family residential development for the area. Visit our… Read more »
MercyOne is relocating a downtown clinic to the Grand Crossings site. The move allows them to serve patients within the community’s emerging “Sports and Entertainment” district. The office is located next to the Cedar Valley Sportsplex and Hawkeye Community College, as well as numerous other new residential developments. The City of Waterloo relied heavily on… Read more »
Art Bloc, a 7-story mixed use building located along Waterloo’s downtown riverfront adjacent to the Phelps Youth Pavilion and SingleSpeed Brewing, is currently under construction. The impressive new structure will feature a lobby and parking along Cedar Street, offices and commercial retail uses on the amphitheater level, and 70 market-rate residential units on the upper… Read more »
Boys and Girls Club of the Cedar Valley held its grand opening of the new Teen Center on January 16, 2020. The facility features space for tutoring, computer and digital graphics skills development, music creativity, college testing preparation, counseling, direct homework assistance and supervised recreational space. The $3 million project was constructed on the site of… Read more »
The City contracted HR Green, Inc. to complete a Phase I ESA on four adjoining parcels generally described as 325 West 13th Street. The investigation allowed the City to satisfy All Appropriate Inquiry prior to acquisition of the single-family home and surrounding vacant lots. City officials plan to market the properties for redevelopment opportunities that… Read more »
City Council approved a contract with HR Green, Inc. to prepare a $300,000 FY 20 EPA Brownfields Community-Wide Assessment Grant application. If awarded, the funds will facilitate additional downtown redevelopment activities. The City of Waterloo has received 14 EPA Brownfields Grants totaling $2.65 million since 2000.
City Council has approved a development agreement with South Front Networks LLC of Mankato, MN to construct two new data centers in the 1400 block of Commercial Street. The City acquired four declining single-family homes to facilitate the project. EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant funds alleviated potential contamination concerns associated with nearby auto-oriented operations. The investment will have an estimated… Read more »
City Council approved a contract to provide conceptual and preliminary designs for a marina building to be located on former River Road right-of-way near the Manatt’s plant. An adjoining vacant lot that formerly served as a part of the nearby John Deere campus will be used for surface parking. Environmental investigations currently being conducted on each property under the… Read more »
The City’s environmental consultant provided City Council with a brownfields project update on April 8, 2019. HR Green’s presentation offered an overview of the EPA Brownfields Program, summarized the history of Waterloo’s involvement, and highlighted several high-profile success stories. A PDF version of the slides are available for download here.