CEDAR RAPIDS — As Kingston Yard, the new mixed-use development in Cedar Rapids, brings new residential, commercial and other uses online and generates more traffic, the city of Cedar Rapids will soon bid an estimated $20 million public parking ramp.
Demand for parking has spiked in the growing neighborhood on the west side of the Cedar River, where the opening of Big Grove Brewery and Pickle Palace bar and grill late last year have drawn many residents and visitors to the once-empty city-owned land on First Street and First Avenue West.
The Cedar Rapids City Council on Tuesday set a public hearing for 4 p.m. July 23 on the parking ramp project, where the council will review plans and the cost estimate before the ramp is bid.
This project will build a new multilevel parking garage with approximately 450 stalls located within the $81.5 million mixed-use Kingston Yard development, providing vehicle parking “while the public enjoys amenities provided by the development and within the area,” according to council documents.
Construction on the ramp is planned to start this year and wrap up in 2026.
Currently, people visiting the development use street parking in the neighborhood, typically along First Street SW or Second and Third avenues SW, or the temporary parking lot north of First Avenue West.
The need for parking is only expected to grow as construction accelerates on the remaining buildings on the block south of First Avenue West. One mixed-use building already has more than 40 of 63 apartments leased.
First-floor commercial tenants also are filling up. Aroma Pizza will occupy one spot. Darin Beck, who previously opened The Stuffed Olive in Iowa City, is looking to open a new martini bar there called BarTini’s in October at 151 First Ave. SW, Unit 104.
Construction on the second mixed-use building along First Avenue West and Third Street SW is slated to wrap up in six months, Kingston Yard co-developer Nate Kaeding said last week.
Soon, construction is slated to begin on an approximately 100-room hotel facing Second Avenue SW, Joe Ahmann, president and founder of Compass Commercial Services and co-developer of Kingston Yard, recently said.
The development team just last week opened “The Yard,” the public park near Big Grove and Pickle Palace. It features ImOn Stage, which will be regularly programmed with local and regional live music acts, as well as a 15-foot wide and 8.5-foot tall television screen, a grassy lawn, kids’ playground space and a patio area.
Ahmann said design will be underway this fall to determine uses for the three buildings planned for the block north of First Avenue West. Potential uses include more hotel rooms, commercial space or rental and for-sale residential units.