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On the Move

Where the skywalk ends?

1/20/2016

Demolition is underway at the city-owned downtown property along Seventh and Grand. By the looks of things, it will soon be complete.

Changes to Seventh and Grand plans
Nothing is set in stone yet, but the city council agreed to preliminary terms putting Principal Financial on pace to build a new downtown parking garage in the space between Seventh Street and Eighth Street on Grand Avenue. City officials say a new parking garage is needed to serve Marriott, Ruan I & II, 801 Grand and Principal Financial. Also included in the deal, Nelson Development would purchase the west half of the block bounded by Grand Avenue, High Street and between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Street. Potentially, a building of eight to12 floors would be constructed. If so, the City is to provide the Nelson site with a $1 million forgivable pre-development loan, a grant equal to the land purchase price and a supplemental grant of $2 million later on. TIF assistance is also anticipated.

What do you think?
The City had planned to build its garage themselves at an estimated cost of up to $35 million. The City will no longer incur this cost. Public hearings are scheduled later this spring.

Downtown getting prettier
Improvements are coming to the downtown streetscape along Walnut Street from Fifth Avenue to Eighth Street. Roughly $4 million was approved by the city for the makeover. Look for sidewalks, plantings, curbs, traffic signals and an assortment of other niceties.

On the drawing board
City leaders are looking at plans for a transloading facility, or “rail port.” It’s far from a done deal, but proponents say this would lessen costs associated with importing and exporting goods. Transloading facilities ease the shipment of goods and products from one mode of transportation to another, such as from a truck to a train. The prospective location for this is on city owned land near S.E. 15th Street and East MLK Jr. Parkway.

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Prepare to accessorize
Charming Charlie, a fashion accessory store, is now open in Jordan Creek Town Center. According to its website, the store arranges its wares by color, enabling shoppers to achieve perfect fashion accentuation more easily. There are more than 300 of these stores across the United States and Canada. The new store will be on the first level.

New jazz joint
A new 100-seat cabaret lounge and jazz club is open at 1326 Walnut St. in downtown’s Western Gateway District. The new hotspot, “Noce,” claims a world-class cocktail bar and an experience for music lovers “unparalleled in the state of Iowa.” Don’t come empty-handed, though — you’ll need tickets to enter. Tickets are available either at the door or online. This new music venue is open Wednesday through Sunday, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and shows starting at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

New Goodwill in Johnston now open
Goodwill is gaining even more traction in the metro; they’ve now added a store in Johnston in the former American TV & Appliance building on 86th Street. This location is a standard retail store, not an outlet location. The store is currently open, and a grand opening was held on Jan. 14. It is the 19th store of its kind in the area.

Anthropologie to open soon?
When is Anthropologie opening in Jordan Creek Town Center? According to sources, construction is finished, and Jan. 22 is slated to be the big day. CV

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