Think of Martinis. They are basically keeping the bar and developing the beer garden area worth of space. If that makes sense?
Iowa City takes first look at $66 million apartment building near ped mall
- Thread starter cigaretteman
- Start date
Think of Martinis. They are basically keeping the bar and developing the beer garden area worth of space. If that makes sense?
Full of crappy 4 and 5 story apartment buildings. More extreme wealth and poverty. More congested.
I grew up and lived there for many years, i am 4th generation IC. I have several ancestors buried at St Josephs cemetery.
Does anyone have a sense of what this is doing to the dorm population? Are these new units being developed all over cannibalizing dorm residents or the tenants of the shitty AUR properties on Johnson (i lived in one), or are there that many new people moving to town?
Dorms have a wait list this year with kids being temporarily housed in the lounges.
Well going only by the info and quote(s) in the article...it doesn't sound like the council is likely to do anything other than green light this. It seems to me that it would be very prudent to dig deeper into the numbers on this before waving it on through.
I agree about the crappy apt buildings, there are plenty. I travel a lot for work and it’s not an Iowa City thing. Some of the new construction has been a positive- bowling, movies, and more hotel options downtown.
The positives still far outweigh the negatives. It remains the only town in Iowa I would live and it’s not even close. Low cost of living compared to major cities, easy access to entertainment and restaurants, outdoor recreation opportunities, the Hawks, great schools, good social service programs, local government that still mostly gives a crap about all residents, etc. Far from perfect, but a great place to live.
True, but vacancies are still above norms elsewhere in ic as you get further away from campus. Over the past 10 years or so there are many more rentals downtown or near downtown.
It's funny because I feel the same way about Ankeny within the DSM metro. As much as I love the Hawks, I couldn't see myself living in Iowa City at this stage of my life. The DSM metro has so much more to offer than the IC area and living in Ankeny has that vibe you were referring to as to the schools, city doing well for its residents, etc.
- Sep 13, 2002
- 99,191
- 208,132
- 113
- Sep 13, 2002
- 99,191
- 208,132
- 113
- Sep 13, 2002
- 99,191
- 208,132
- 113
I think it depends on what you are looking for.
If you want a sleepy little college town, the changes probably don't seem great.
If you want a more urban/cosmopolitan/dense feel (more like Madison/Columbus) then you probably love it.
As someone who grew up in Madison and went to school at Iowa, I am loving that they are going vertical and emphasizing density rather than sprawl. Makes for a much more energetic city center.
I can empathize with long-time townies who miss the sleepy old days though.
- Sep 13, 2002
- 99,191
- 208,132
- 113
I would be curious to hear what you think DSM has that the IC-CR corridor does not, other than a shittier D1 school just up the road.
Bike trail system in DSM area is second to none. You can hit dozens breweries/bars/restaurants without ever leaving he trail.
You can ride your bike from Bondurant to Woodward all on trails.
click on https://iowa.forums.rivals.com/thre...have-cheaper-bacon.270799/page-2#post-6476524 and then control F "tenacious"
- Sep 13, 2002
- 99,191
- 208,132
- 113
Bike Iowa ranks Iowa City as the best biking community in Iowa, the only one to receive a Silver Level designation from the League of American Bicyclists:
The League of American Bicyclists hosts a program called TheBicycle Friendly Community Program.
The Bicycle Friendly Community Program inspires communities to improve conditions and opportunities for bicycling and provides incentives, hands-on assistance, and award recognition for communities that actively support bicycling. A Bicycle Friendly Community welcomes cyclists by providing safe accommodation for cycling and encouraging people to bike for transportation and recreation.Viewan overview presentation of the program.
State Bicycle-Friendly Ranking
Cities who have received a Bicycle-Friendly Community designation.
Platinum
none
Gold
none
Silver
Iowa City (pop. 73,398) - upgraded May 2013
Bronze
Ames (pop. 61,792) - added May 2016
Bettendorf (pop. 34,255) - added for Honorable Mention May 2014and went Bronze May 2016
Cedar Rapids (pop. 128,119) -added March 2012
Cedar Falls (pop. 36,145) -added May 2009
Coralville (pop. 18,907) - added Dec 2016
Des Moines (pop. 207,510) -added May 2011,renewed June 2015
University Heights (pop. 1,051) -added March 2012
- Sep 13, 2002
- 99,191
- 208,132
- 113
He's not talking about commuting by bike; he's talking about the recreational trails.
- Sep 13, 2002
- 99,191
- 208,132
- 113
In that case, the Terry Trueblood Trail in IC is ranked #2 in the state, behind High Trestle in Ankeny - which I GUESS you might include as part of Des Moines....
Anyone know how long until the trails in the NL and Solon area link up to Iowa City? They are almost done with the north section that will connect to Cedar Rapids. I'm guessing it won't be long until one could get on a bike in IC or CR and bike to Ely, Solon, North Liberty, Coralville and Iowa City.
- Sep 13, 2002
- 99,191
- 208,132
- 113
For the record, I like Des Moines and think it's amazing how much better it's gotten (the fairness of the Iowa legislature making sure that happened at the expense of other metro areas like the QC/Sioux City, etc. is a fight for another day).
I could easily live there. But I don't think there is anything - culturally, socially and especially outdoors-y wise - that you can't do in CR-IC and Eastern Iowa in general. I also like being closer to Chicago and Madison over here. I guess Des Moiners are closer to Omaha. Congrats?
FWIW for the younger folks, they did the same thing 40 years ago when my wife and I were in school.
Neither of us had to live in a lounge though.
https://iowa.forums.rivals.com/thre...rarily-living-in-lounges.281964/#post-6787189
And I would imagine that there are more vacancies in the crappy AUR and other cannibalized house apartments around town with all of the apartments sprouting everywhere in Iowa City and Coralville. Doubt it's caused rents to go down in any of the older house apartments yet though.
Yes. Des Moines is a destination for people to go to so they can ride bikes. Some of those breweries will have dozens f bikes outside. I have seen Confluence with 200+ bikes on a Saturday.
I couldn’t care less if it’s easy to bike to work. Recreational trails brings people and money.
DSM and Ankeny's improvement in the 15 years we've lived here is breathtaking. When we first moved here I would have agreed that the CR-IC corridor was better. It is still great and I could also live there, and we have lived in quads and I like the quads too. But at this time, there is "AAA" level baseball, basketball, and hockey, and then there are the barnstormers, and Wells Fargo for big concerts, and the civic center gets musicals/shows that don't stop anywhere else in the state, downtown DSM has a cool bar scene, the farmer's market has turned into an amazing event every single week, etc. Now, the barnstormers are a methed out homeless man's version of the Hawks, and DSM has nothing on the mighty Mississippi, but on the whole the metro is the best and most well-rounded city in the state (it's proximity to Nebraska notwithstanding).For the record, I like Des Moines and think it's amazing how much better it's gotten (the fairness of the Iowa legislature making sure that happened at the expense of other metro areas like the QC/Sioux City, etc. is a fight for another day).
I could easily live there. But I don't think there is anything - culturally, socially and especially outdoors-y wise - that you can't do in CR-IC and Eastern Iowa in general. I also like being closer to Chicago and Madison over here. I guess Des Moiners are closer to Omaha. Congrats?
Not sure what you mean? There are multiple trails that link Iowa City to North Liberty and the trail from North Liberty to Solon (really mehaffey bridge) is complete.
We are talking about living somewhere and I would rather live somewhere that’s easier to get around on a bike rather than recreational trails. I ride them both, but give me a better commute any day of the week.
The DSM metro is geographically too big for a meaningful number of people to commute by bicycle.
The Cedar Valley trail is close to linking from Solon to Ely. That will put CR on a national trail.
I have ridden the high trestle trail, and it has a lot of riders, but CR is catching up fast. The Cedar Valley Trail has everything the other does except a fancy bridge.
Really? I guess you could say the same about any metro area and yet millions commute by bike every day. Hell, Minneapolis has one of the highest number of bike commuters per capita and surely it’s got a much larger metro area and shittier weather. Maybe the avg DSM-ite is just lazy? Or they put more value in Rec trails to breweries?
- Sep 13, 2002
- 99,191
- 208,132
- 113
I hope you said this in jest.
Amsterdam, population 821,000, sees 40 percent of its working residents commute by bike.
Des Moines is practically half that size.
Our group will ride bar to bar on trails and drop $100 total at each bar we visit. Likely over $200 if it’s the one we eat at. Jethro’s just bought an old pizza bar that was popular with bikers when the Orlando’s owners retired. He plans on gutting it and adding a second story to cater to the huge biking community. They say $1,000,000,000 will be pumped into the establishment and create 80 jobs. In Des Moines the biking community spurs tourism investment and jobs growth.
There’s still a pretty big gap between Solon and Ely and it’s on a pretty narrow part of the highway. Land dispute, is what I heard.
I bike a fair amount...probably 50 miles a week now and biking to work does not interst me unless I could shower and dress there.
Ok? That’s great for the bars and tax $, but I still would rather live somewhere that’s easier to bike around town than to a brewery.
I don’t know what that means. The breweries are not in the middle of nowhere.
I bike 10 miles each way to work, year round, and have never taken a shower. You have to be really out of shape or biking way too fast/hard to work up a sweat on a bike commute.
I can't speak to who commutes in Minneapolis and where they bike to, but most people who work in DSM don't live in DSM. For instance, I live 12 miles from work, and I suspect most people live 6 to 13 miles from work. Meanwhile, in Iowa City I would imagine you have 2 mile or less commute. It is apples and oranges. It is not about being lazy but managing your time. There is only so much of it and I have a schedule.
- Sep 13, 2002
- 99,191
- 208,132
- 113
You know what NEITHER Des Moines or Iowa City or Cedar Rapids have, though?
A cool freaking water taxi service!
A cool freaking water taxi service!
