7/29 -- The City held three open houses to receive feedback on the first step of developing a framework for reinvestment and revitalization in the Cedar River Corridor. Some public comments were focused on immediate needs of homeowners and business owners, but planners also were able to gather some excellent ideas for the future. Additional public forums will be held in late summer and early fall.

7/17 -- Parking payments: Just a reminder to cease payments for monthly parking permits until further notice. The City continues to get some payments even though parking in ramps is free until at least Sept. 1. Rent for monthly parking in June has been discounted to 50 percent and July and August rents are free. If you have already paid for June, the difference has been credited to your account. If you have not yet paid for June, please remit half of your June invoice. If you pay through ACH, only half of the June invoice will be deducted from your account on Tuesday, July 29, 2008. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Chad Aland, 286-5134, or e-mail c.aland@cedar-rapids.org

7/16 -- Businesses in flood affected areas have an extra month to file their quarterly withholding taxes, thanks to an extension requested by Rep. Tyler Olson. "Extending the deadline... gives some flexibility and relief to many Iowans who lost their livelihood," Olson said. The deadline will now be Aug. 29, a postponement that will allow many businesses to have SBA loans or other financing in place so they can afford the quarterly tax bill. "I appreciate Governor Culver acting quickly to offer some measure of relief to Iowa businesses and look forward to continue working to make sure individuals and businesses have the resources they need to recover and rebuild in Iowa," Olson said.

7/16 -- For those commercial properties in the 100-year flood plain that have sustained damage of at least 50 percent of the value of the property/building, a special certificate is needed to get a building permit. Owners must provide either: 1) an elevation certificate showing the lowest floor of the building is at least 1 foot above the 100-year flood plain; or 2) proof that the building has been waterproofed to a level at least 1 foot above the 100-year flood plain. Local engineering companies Ament Engineers & Architects (www.ament.com), Anderson Bogart Engineers & Surveyors (www.anderson-bogert.com), Hall & Hall Engineers (www.halleng.com) and Howard R. Green Company (www.hrgreen.com) can help you with this. If other local businesses can provide these services, please contact Mallory at the Downtown District (Mallory@downtowncr.org) and we will try to inform the public to the best of our ability. Contact one of these local engineering firms for more information.

7/15 -- The Downtown District, Chamber of Commerce and City officials are meeting today to try to develop a checklist for businesses to reoccupy buildings. Such information has been publicized, but it seems to change often, and the requirements are confusing for many. We'll do our best today to try to get everything into a checklist that makes sense.

7/14 -- The Shuttleworth & Ingersoll law firm moved back into its quarters in the U.S. Bank building today, another milestone in the recovery.

7/14 -- A small delegation of local government and business leaders headed to Washington D.C. today with the $2.4 billion list of flood damages and redevelopment needs. Reportedly, a supplemental spending bill that could include some flood relief for Cedar Rapids and other Midwestern communities will move through Congress as early as next week

7/11 -- Flood statistics continue stretch the bounds of comprehension. A preliminary estimate of flood losses and rebuilding needs delivered by the City to Sen. Chuck Grassley's office yesterday totals more than $2.4 billion. That includes an estimate of $336 million in business damages, which doesn't even include inventory and equipment losses nor business interuption losses. When you consider that these are Cedar Rapids-only losses, it becomes easier to believe how some officials predict that the Eastern Iowa flood losses will amount to one of the Top Five natural disasters in U.S. history.

7/8 -- The Job & Small Business Recovery Fund provides financial assistance to for-profit businesses and commercial property owners in Cedar Rapids that sustained uninsured physical damage as a result of the flood. Qualifying businesses can receive a base grant of up to $15,000, with 50 percent as a grant and 50 percent as a no-interest, three-year forgivable loan (forgiven if a business is still in operation in Cedar Rapids three years from the date of the loan). Additionally, a grant of up to $5,000 may be awarded to  businesses that choose to reinvest in commercial zones affected by the flood, and $5,000 to those who are both business and property owners and have sustained uninsured physical damage to each. Visit www.corridorrecovery.org to download a grant application.

7/8-- Two brick sections of the privately owned parking ramp between the Roosevelt and the Five Seasons Center collapsed this evening, temporarily shutting down traffic on First Avenue. This seems unlikely to be related to the flood, as the failed sections were well above the flood line. If a parking ramp were to crumble, everyone expected it to be the 47-year-old First Street ramp rather than the one that is now having troubles.

7/7 -- Carroll Reasoner, the chairwoman of the Downtown District Board, has been appointed by Gov. Chet Culver to the Rebuild Iowa Commission, a statewide panel that will help determine how state money can be invested to help rebuild Iowa communities affected by the 2008 flood. Carroll is the only Cedar Rapids representative on the 14-member commission. 

7/6 -- The Gazette's editorial today outlines perfectly the difficult challenge facing many flooded Downtown small businesses. Not only do they need to figure out the financing of rebuilding, but they need downtown to thrive around them in order to sustain business once they are back up and running. Read the entire editorial in Sunday's Gazette or at this link. (May require sign-in for Gazette E-Edition, but it's free.)

7/4 -- The City has further lifted building permit restrictions, now allowing non-structural permits for all green and yellow placard properties outside the 100-year flood plain. Once non-structural work (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, etc.) passes inspection, the City will allow structural work to proceed, according to this morning's Gazette.

7/3 -- Police began enforcing new parking rules, allowing some traffic lanes to be blocked with cleanup equipment and contractor vehicles while also keeping traffic lanes open for through traffic and access for garbage trucks. These new rules will allow us to get downtown clean faster and safer than the current congested and dangerous situation. Please help encourage people to park in the parking ramps which are free, open and available (except for the First Street ramp).

7/3 -- More non-profits are getting emergency financial help from the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. So far, $87,000 has gone to 18 agencies, many of the social service or arts and culture organizations in the heart of Downtown. Click here to see the complete list of agencies and information on how to give to and receive from various flood relief funds at the Community Foundation.

7/2 -- City officials lifted some building permit restrictions, allowing many flood-affected businesses and property owners to begin doing the things they need to do to move people back into Downtown. Permits for "non-structural" work can now be issued for buildings east of the Cedar River, that have been determined to be safe and outside of the 100-year flood plain.

7/1 -- The lights went back on at the U.S. Cellular Center about 3 p.m. on Monday, the first downtown building to draw power from the grid since June 12. Other buildings should be coming on line all week, replacing noisy generators and helping bring life back to abandoned office buildings.

6/30 -- Some letters to the editor from out-of-state sympathizers and a guest commentary in the weekend issues of The Gazette provide some encouraging perspective. Our recovery is far, far ahead of where other major disasters were 17 days into their recoveries, which is positive news when you also consider the announcement this weekend that these floods are likely to rank as one of the Top 5 natural disasters in American history. 

6/27 -- Alliant Energy announced this afternoon that Downtown areas north of Second Avenue SE could have power restored early next week. Downtown areas farther south could be back online by late next week. More details will be coming, but this is great news! The full news release from this afternoon is at www.alliantenergy.com

6/27 -- Free parking on-street and in parking ramps downtown will remain in effect until at least September 1. Other changes to the parking system will be announced in coming weeks.

6/24 -- A Business Recovery survey will get underway by tomorrow (Wednesday). The Downtown District and Chamber of Commerce are attempting to collect information about business relocations, employment numbers and interest in rebuilding downtown. If a representative calls, please give him or her just a few minutes of your time. It will help us direct our limited (and displaced!) resources in the best possible manner.

6/24 -- Several callers today to the Downtown District expressed frustration at rates for loans through SBA. For some, the SBA won't be of any business recovery help at all. The only solace we can offer is assurance that local and state help will soon be in place, too, and those pools might be of more help to some businesses than the SBA programs. For most, though, no incentive program is going to completely make up for losses. 

6/23 -- Responding to downtown and neighborhood concerns, Cedar Rapids police are enacting alternative side parking for downtown and near-side neighborhoods. Officials hope the change improves safety in the dangerously congested rebuilding zone and allows easier, quicker access for those trying to clear wreckage from the flood. Trash haulers have been slowed by multiple lanes of parked vehicles and equipment as they attempt to get to Dumpsters and debris piles, and that, in turn, has slowed the cleanup efforts of some business and property owners. The new parking rules allow parking on the side of street with even-numbered addresses on even-numbered dates only, and parking on the odd-numbered side of the street on odd-numbered dates. The policy goes into effect immediately, and will be enforced. If safety and access doesn’t improve markedly, police may consider re-closing the area to traffic.

6/23 -- Word is out that the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce approved adding $250,000 of its resources to the Flood 2008 Business Recovery Fund. Other donations are very likely to follow. Details on administration of the fund and criteria for awards are still being worked out. But we've received the great news that gifts to this fund will be considered charitable under IRS publication 3833, which rules that making grants to businesses in a disaster area is for the community's overall good and thus a charitable purpose.   

6/20 -- The Solid Waste Department appealed to the Downtown District to help keep non-essential traffic out of Downtown. At least a dozen garbage haulers are attempting to clear debris and empty Dumpsters, but they often can't get access because of all the parked vehicles. The roundtrip to the landfill north of Marion currently takes 2.5 hours, so debris removal has gone slowly. When the A Avenue landfill is reopened soon, things should go much better.

6/20 -- Downtown District President Doug Neumann had numerous discussions today about incentives to help local businesses recover. While there seems to be several significant funders willing to put up some recovery money, the administration and fund criteria are still being worked out. There's little doubt help beyond the SBA and FEMA programs will be available. We just need to be patient for a few more days as critical details are being worked out.