Cedar Rapids, IA
Marketplace on First features a lifestyle mix of shopping venues oriented to the family in a park-and-stroll, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. Various dining venues and retail shops complement the existing restaurants and shops that expanding the opportunities previously offered on the adjoining parcels.
During the conceptual planning, Shive-Hattery worked with the City of Cedar Rapids Department of Development and the Developer to establish a Urban Revitalization District. Originally, partial funding for the project was through the use of Tax Increment Financing. As an alternative, Shive-Hattery suggested the Urban Revitalization route when the developer was willing to forgo the short term funding help in favor of the long term tax incentives. This strategy also worked well for the City since they did not have to sell bonds to fund the improvement costs.
The architecture enhances the pedestrian experience by expressing an intimate scale with intersecting facades that establish character for the development. The use of attached and freestanding canopies and an emphasis on the indoor-outdoor relationship of the building facades provides an inviting perspective.
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tags: ADA, retail development, survey-boundary, land