The City of Cedar Rapids will discount downtown monthly parking lot and garage rates now through June 30, 2010. The monthly parking rates, as passed by the City Council on October 8, 2008, will be discounted 50% for all downtown parkers if they make payment via Automated Clearing House (ACH). Anyone electing not to pay by ACH will be required to pay an additional $10.00 per month after the 50% discount. Anyone who was not a parker prior to the flood will be required to pay a $25 registration fee in addition to their monthly parking fee In addition to parking ramps and lots, limited monthly angle parking will be offered at a non-discounted rate of $30.00. All parking registration forms are available online at www.cedar-rapids.org.

River Corridor Redevelopment Plan 
    The City of Cedar Rapids presented the third and final open house on the River Corridor Redevelopment Plan incorporating the public’s feedback from past open houses, Council direction, and analysis in plan areas grouped into three themes: Sustainable Neighborhoods – focal points for reinvestment in neighborhoods and downtown; A Riverfront Park – incorporating a draft flood management strategy and open space goals; and Connectivity – ways to improve transportation to better knit the City together.  If you were unable to attend the final open house, please visit www.cedar-rapids.org, and click “River Redevelopment Plan” to view the draft plan and submit your feedback via email. Feedback from the open houses will be used by Sasaki and JLG architects to develop a draft framework for reinvestment in the Cedar River Corridor. Planning is moving ahead aggressively, and it’s critical that anyone interested in this project share their opinions now.


Governor Culver announces "Jump Start Iowa" program
    Governor Chet Culver announced Tuesday afternoon the creation of a disaster recovery initiative called "Jump Start Iowa." Focused on economic development and housing programs, the plan includes forgivable loans to small businesses with funds to help pay down their SBA loans from the federal government as well as funding to promote sustainable rebuilding efforts. The loans will be forgiven if the business opens its doors within 6 months of receiving funds. The housing portion of the plan will be administered through the Iowa Finance Authority, assisting home owners to either make a down payment on a new house, repair their current home, or maintain their mortgages while waiting for a potential buy out from FEMA.  Further details on allocation and timelines will be available soon. 

Downtown District-where are we now?
    Downtown District offices have moved to a temporary office on the 12th floor of the U.S. Bank Building. You can find us here during regular business hours, and also continue to contact us via our usual e-mail addresses and old phone number (398-0449). Our postal address is 115 Third St. SE, Suite 900, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401. We want to express extreme gratitude to U.S. Bank for helping make this happen. The folks there really stepped up when we needed them. Being back in a real office environment is a great relief, and should enhance our efforts at the ongoing downtown redevelopment efforts. We also want to thank our good friends over at The Gazette for putting us up in emergency quarters for what turned out to be 10 weeks after the flood. Everyone there was a tremendous help in our immediate recovery efforts. 
    
Committed to Downtown
    Full-page ads in The Gazette and the Corridor Business Journal marked the launch of our "Rebuild Downtown" campaign. Radio ads have begun, and the campaign will include other multi-media exposure as well. In order to be included on the "Committed to Downtown" list, flood-affected businesses had to confirm that they "plan to rebuild downtown and reinvest in the future of downtown." Some businesses signed up via this Web site. We reached others through a Business Recovery Survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown District. While more than 200 businesses already have signed up, we know that there are many more out there that will return to downtown and may want to be listed with the other committed businesses. To get your business name added to our list, tell us of your interest via our Contact Us page on this Web site, or by calling Mallory at the Downtown District at 398-0449 or mallory@downtowncr.org. The complete list will be kept on the Committed page of this Web site and will be updated as often as possible.

You need this shirt!
    You've seen it around town, and you need one - the Rebuild Downtown t-shirt. We'll have them out at events around town -- Uptown Friday Nights, the Outdoor Drive-in Movie Series, Downtown Farmers' Markets, etc., and they also are at places such as the Chamber of Commerce (424 First Ave. NE), Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust (500 First Ave. NE), and the Bever Avenue branch of Guaranty Bank (across from Bever Park). All we ask is that you make a free will offering to the Job & Small Business Recovery Fund. We'll collect cash and checks made out to the Downtown District and deposit it in the fund. For more information, call the Downtown District at 319-398-8269 or use the Contact Us page.

Cedar Rapids Downtown flood information
    The primary site for flood recovery updates is www.corridorrecovery.org. Our Web site here focuses on information specific to Downtown businesses, organizations and property owners. We do NOT attempt to repeat more communitywide information that’s better centered at the Corridor Recovery site. We post information of specific interest to the west-side and east-side business core as quickly and accurately as possible on the Latest News page of this site.
    Over time, we plan to use this Web site to motivate reinvestment in downtown. Businesses planning to rebuild Downtown are listed on our "Committed to Downtown" page, which also has information about how you can add your business to the list. We are all working together toward a vibrant, sustainable, dynamic downtown that will be greater in the next generation than ever before.

Working toward a "new normal"
    Numbers tell part of this story: a June 13, 2008 flood crest of 31.1 feet that was 19 feet over flood stage and 11 feet above a 79-year-old record flood; 25,000 homes evacuated; 9,000 downtown workers displaced; and damage and recovery costs that will swirl into staggering billion-dollar numbers.
    But far more of this story will be told in terms other than those stoic facts. Much of our story, when it has finally been completely told weeks, months, even years from now, will be about heroes and helping hands; about recovery and resolve; about tears and triumph; about neighbors and friends and strangers who become our friends. This story will be about a proud, historic, beautiful, vibrant downtown that rebounds from devastation to magnificence.
    As community leaders such as City Manager Jim Prosser and Gazette Communications CEO Chuck Peters have said, things will never be 'normal' again. However, we will have a 'new normal.' We'll share that journey to a 'new normal'  right here.