Will Cedar Rapids rebound? (Orleans, Collins: to rent, house, employment)

[fenix]

I've been an advocate of any type of major event/development/redevelopment that would spur life into Cedar Rapids for some time now, though this isn't exactly what I had in mind. I'm definitely concered about the city's outlook. CR wasn't exactly thriving before and with the total-loss of small businesses downtown, the loss of downtown neighborhoods, and the time it will take to clean things up I find myself wondering what is going to happen. CR definitely needed a revitalization effort in the downtown core, but how is that possibly going to happen when something like this is even a possibility. What will it take to make sure the city doesn't fade out? Could all of this be some sort of opportunity? Want to be positive, but need some help readjusting my thinking. Any positive thoughts out there?

[UW Badgers]

I'll be brave and answer this question...No

Even though we have only lived here for a few years(moved from another state), I've seen enough to know that it's going to be a mess. First, the city has no money. Before this happened they were wondering how to keep the library going. Westdale mall has died a thousand deaths and once again the city has no clue how to bring in business. Putting moratoriums on stopping business' from coming into the city is just beyond dumb.

With the city council we have, I see nothing getting done. Why anyone thought this was a good idea is beyond me. Everyone that voted for this, is now paying the price. No one wants their taxes raised, but without doing this, you aren't going to get money to do anything. My parents pay high taxes, but they don't lack much in their city. The city has money for improvements.

I'm picturing people trying to rebuild their homes and half way through run out of money or just plain give up and then the house sits. I know that if my house had been flooded and I was allowed to rebuild, I wouldn't. No amount of professionalism would make me think that there was no mold or health risks left somewhere. Plus, if I was near the river, I wouldn't rebuild there.

I think a lot of business' will leave. I know a lot of them are saying they are going to stay and that's great, but the longer the clean up takes and the power to get back on, they may high tail it because they are losing money. I read someone suggesting that Westdale allow companys to rent out some of the space to run their companies. I think that is a great idea, but it will never happen.

It's going to take years to get this city even half way back to normal. My husband and I were talking about this last night. We are trying to decide what to do for ourselves. Knowing this city didn't have much to begin with and now all this, what is the future going to be like and is it worth staying here? I've heard a lot of people that were flooded are going to leave the city, I've read some companies that are no longer going to stay here. Where does that leave everyone else?

The dreck that was on last night with the council answering questions wasn't very hopeful. The mayor just sat there and spoke about 2 sentences. I read, "oh she's behind the scenes, no one knows what is going on behind the scenes." Well then why doesn't she come on and tell us what's going on behind the scenes? I've lived where there has been tragedy before, and the mayor of the city was always on tv reassuring us. That hasn't happened here at all and I've read numerous complaints about this.

Maybe the city will prove me wrong, but I don't think they will and I know I'm not the only one feeling these feelings. I've talked to many people about this that have lived in this city for their whole lives. They feel the same way I do.

It's a sad thing that happened and I feel horrible for all those that lost everything. One can only think positive for so long. When you don't get the feedback you need to keep staying positive, you start to head a different direction. I hope someday all those that were effected, will be back on their feet and striving.

Let me add that we didn't like it here when we moved. It took us 4 years to get used to it and the people. We may still not like some things here, but it's where our home is and we are adjusting.

[ScranBarre]

In 1972 the city of Wilkes-Barre, PA was devastated in similar fashion to Cedar Rapids, IA by the remnants of Tropical Storm Agnes as they stalled out over Northeastern Pennsylvania. 36 years later the city is still struggling. The mud and debris may be long gone, but a fear of the river sent many thousands of residents packing their bags for the higher-elevated suburbs. Many businesses downtown saw all of the residents moving and followed their customers out of town. While the downtown is NOW finally starting to make a huge comeback, it was a cess pool for about 30 years after the flood. If Cedar Rapids truly was "struggling" before this flood, then expect it to take several decades to truly recover. God help you all!

[zz4guy]

I think the city will bounch back quite quickly. The economy here is strong and diverse. Sure there will be people that use this as an exuse to leave. But a lot of people like it here, have families and still have their jobs, just not a house. Quaker Oats is planning on starting production again in July. Penford is planning on resuming productions some time in the future. The employment base is largely unaffected here.

If anything gets in the way it will be the city government. They are truly incompetent, as mentioned above. ie Kay Haloran.

[njkate]

I think by the sheer resilence of it's citizens it will rebound!!

I've only seen footage of everyone pitching in and helping each other..saw NO footage of people looting flat screen plasma tv's and yelling help me help me

Kudos to everyone out there...God Bless

[Roy G. Biv]

I think the original poster is under the false assumption that the downtown area is the true "core" of the city when in fact it is not. It was the core of the city from the 1800s through the 1960s. Retail shifted out of the downtown area in the 1970s and 40 years later the advent of the shopping mall is in decline nation-wide as people now are doing most of their mundane shopping at big box chains and increasingly more of their specialized shopping online. A lot of specialized businesses and services are locally owned and some are downtown while most are not. Collins Road is the de facto core of Cedar Rapids commerce. Although if all of the downtown industries, financial institutions, and corporate businesses decided to pack up and leave it would be bad and a ton of people would lose their jobs and then Cedar Rapids would be really hurting. But so far they have all said they are going to stay, clean up, and rebuild.

A lot of towns spend a lot of money trying to fancy up their downtown areas and make them "thriving" again as if that matters anymore. It mattered back when people rode horses and back when locally owned rip-off retail stores were the ONLY choice for consumers. Today the only real reason to keep downtown areas going is because otherwise they become nasty and crime-ridden.

[QuadCityImages]

I could see CR taking about a 5% hit in population in the short term, but I think they'll be alright.

All the Federal money that comes in from this might actually help them get something happening downtown, which has been kind of stagnant even before the flood.

[fenix]

Originally Posted by Roy G. Biv

Today the only real reason to keep downtown areas going is because otherwise they become nasty and crime-ridden.

I agree with some of the points you've made (and they actually make me feel a little bit better) but couldn't disagree with you more about the importance of a city's downtown. From a practicality stand point you're on the money, but you drastically underestimate the importance of the intangibles. A sense of self and personal identification is often derived from the place that you choose to make your home, and a city's downtown area, whether right or wrong, is often a representation of that. Not to mention the ability of an area to continue to grow and progress has a lot to do with it's power to attract and retain new life in terms of residents and businesses, especially in the case of a lack of geographical attractors. I've posted on this before - it only gets me fired up about potential opportunity, the brain drain issue, the lack of action by the city council, etc. etc. Before the flood the city was in desperate need of rejuvination of the downtown area. I've actually been fairly unhappy here myself (love to whine about the industrial "dead" downtown, lack of personality and culture, lack of progressive development), but stay due to the high quality of life that I can provide for my family which comes from a low cost of living, in addition to the quality of the people in the community who seem to have their priorities in place. I really hope that CR not only recovers from this but uses it as a catalyst. While my heart breaks for the residents who lost everything, I find myself wondering what is the best thing for me and my family - stick it out and help with the recovery, and in essence be a part of the solution, or look for a market where we will all be in a better position, which I guess would make us part of the problem. Trying to decide for myself if ethics even belong in that decision.

[QuadCityImages]

You don't see many postcards of sprawling retail districts.

[ArizonaBear]

I hate to say this:

But; after what happened to New Orleans courtesy of Katrina, CR, if it is going to be rebuilt.......it should be on higher ground. Precedent has already been set with communities like Valdamar (sp) Il, etc.