[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6299838,"mediaKeyId","2495210-1b500b8b939588e1cbba3b2903726de1","parentId",2495210,"title","Council approves sale of 1651 Sycamore Street and development agreement with Crystal Distribution Services","audioSeconds",45,"startMs",3213000,"endMs",3168000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2495210-1b500b8b939588e1cbba3b2903726de1&start=3213&end=3168","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2495210-1b500b8b939588e1cbba3b2903726de1/thumbnail_3213000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6299838/Waterloo/Black-Hawk-County/Iowa/Council-approves-sale-of-1651-Sycamore-Street-and-development-agreement-with-Crystal-Distribution-Services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299838-7c940f5d6e79b84b962b563846eb175c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770932349&Signature=iatvRKnEthl35c4kqZtBkqWA7cjqXDv3XOZhzYHc~mtEWZjUNWDBj95CCcbxB1yyzQQbx4r3~IWX4adMx9Ftg6BkjQk4uq6tcaMs0W2HTuHfHae86zfCtuHwhw2n4ucUZu0l9oDHxfeNIjmPsLSvxdW76yfTy1rwT5E9XAad0AQGBa6g2yiZ2PpYP3AyvxPLJGqGgiSGlKArT08S9Axd8su88BhkWa0KwLRTRmbndAR5lK6YtW1huDnudKPNfZeKJWm5f6LiBXIxuEe1zD2IKR6XABB5fefbHTur82ELTbiUpt2VDGnk6ytjVCMmLvyYCwE29TbwI1MZEqcjrDttRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Waterloo ","date","2025-03-03T00:00:00Z","article","The Waterloo City Council approved a sale and development package for 1651 Sycamore Street, authorizing conveyance to Crystal Distribution Services Inc. and a development agreement to rehabilitate the building and construct a 5,000-square-foot maintenance shop.

Developer Eric Poe told the council the purchase would return a former church to the tax rolls and allow building improvements and possible neighborhood-serving uses such as a daycare. \"We're going to make improvements to that building and we're looking at potentially putting a daycare into that building for the betterment of that neighborhood,\" Poe said.

City staff and the developer discussed parking and zoning implications. Joel Anderson, Community Planning and Development Director, confirmed recent zoning changes that expanded where daycare uses can locate, and the developer said there is a drive and area east of the building that could support parking. Poe also said the developer plans a pull shed (maintenance building) on the west side and has identified materials and contractors.

Council also considered a development agreement that sets a maximum assessment/abatement and economic development grant: the council approved a maximum assessment agreement of $659,060 for rehabilitation plus a 70% property-tax rebate for 15 years and a $137,000 economic development grant as part of the Crystal Distribution package.

Council asked about timing and noted the property will immediately become taxable once used for business purposes. Poe said construction would likely begin sooner than the six-month deadline in the agreement and that the building's conversion will increase local taxable value. The council approved both the sale/resolution and the development agreement on roll-call votes.

The council also discussed broader redevelopment of the RATH district and incentives used there; council members and staff noted brownfield cleanup and demolition costs and said incentives in the district have been structured to encourage redevelopment of contaminated or derelict industrial parcels.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Waterloo City Council Meeting Regular Session March 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Waterloo City Council approved a sale of 1651 Sycamore Street to Crystal Distribution Services Inc. and a development agreement that funds rehabilitation and a 5,000-square-foot maintenance shop.","taxTitle","Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa","taxId",3694,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6299848,"Council approves sale of part of Merriam's Park to Waterloo Schools for school-bus access; neighbors raised safety, green-space concerns",1291,1903000,3194000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2495210-1b500b8b939588e1cbba3b2903726de1&start=1903&end=3194","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2495210-1b500b8b939588e1cbba3b2903726de1/thumbnail_1903000.jpg","/articles/6299848/Waterloo/Black-Hawk-County/Iowa/Council-approves-sale-of-part-of-Merriams-Park-to-Waterloo-Schools-for-school-bus-access-neighbors-raised-safety-green-space-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299848-459d69994d2a5377b68645be95d12b61/orig.mp4?Expires=1770932349&Signature=LossY~WRX7ClvLEVSJCMpr98hgmGpY9XzDRf8AoBDmjxz~3x1bjuuBwP0Z39GQcjyj-c6ae5JtX4OCAmTJpa-pD4DOvVx4qnpUlpTvQjfaS2JattW3AuSSn5xHpcc~igHTF5eep~bkoDV6zcOU0qpu6L89BEQAI-aHorKn2FVslc7kBBYSltIZkrhuxUwE0KrMLwxa~CQfThS-358OhL2Y77KpTyJape7awaHQzgUwMgdl3bLgvsoIpT74wT~gj1m-QSmhXIW-a69fduSXVm3V1LIyJLJKkpCkfg9QxGbqdePgBiUpp~1Xr~7GI-fubkTsysKgPovEIySm2rd9Ch4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Waterloo City Council voted 6–1 to approve a resolution authorizing the sale and conveyance of a portion of Merriam's Park east of 3843 Sager Avenue to Waterloo Community Schools for $1, retaining access and utility easements and requiring council approval for future changes.

The measure was adopted after a public hearing that drew more than a dozen residents from the adjoining neighborhood, who said the sale would shrink the park's accessible green space and bring buses and diesel exhaust nearer to play areas. \"This leaves a very small area for family picnics, playing ball and walking dogs,\" Mary Jo Jewell said during public comment. \"Please consider the safety of the children.\"

School representatives and the project team told council the roadway through the park is intended to be a controlled-access bus drive to service the new consolidated high school campus and would be used only during school operation hours. \"There's no students who'll be driving on this road,\" Jared Smith, speaking for the Waterloo schools, told the council. \"It's simply school buses.\" Kate (first name only in record), a school project representative, said the project team currently estimates \"roughly 10 or 12 buses in the morning and the same in the afternoon,\" while city staff later noted the traffic study forecasts 14 buses at opening year and up to 17 by 2045.

Neighbors questioned the traffic study limits and whether future nearby Cedar Falls development had been included. Dennis Jewell asked whether the study examined intersections at Progress and Sager and the effect of nearby housing additions; the school-design team said the district's traffic study modeled traffic generated by the school and was reviewed by the city. \"The traffic study went as far as it went out to Progress,\" Kaye Paine of Envision Architecture said. City engineer Jamie Knudson told the council that he and the city's traffic engineer had reviewed the study and that it had been revised to address city comments.

Council members described a series of compromises negotiated with neighbors and the school, including a guarded gate and a mechanical opening system that would restrict the drive to buses, a promise that the remaining parkland and detention areas would remain green space, and substitution of a black vinyl fence rather than galvanized chain link along adjacent property. Knudson told council that if the school later proposed changes affecting the detention basin or parkland, those changes would return to the city for review and would likely be expensive to implement, making immediate conversion unlikely.

Councilman John Childs, who led several of the neighborhood meetings, said the sale moves the property from one public steward to another and that the sale documents require the school to return to council for permission to alter the open-space uses. \"The park will remain green space,\" Childs said.

The resolution passed on a roll-call vote with Councilman Simon the sole dissenting vote. The council adopted the measure after receiving written comments and a petition on file from neighborhood residents.

Looking ahead, the city and district officials said more traffic and signal design work is planned; the city will explore longer-range work at Huntington and Katowksy (Kotowski) and possible roundabout options as part of a broader construction and traffic plan tied to the new school construction.","The Waterloo City Council voted 6–1 to approve a resolution authorizing the sale and conveyance of a portion of Merriam's Park to Waterloo Community Schools for $1 while retaining easements.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6299833,"City council approves multiple contracts, grants and infrastructure awards; one appeal denied",103,3243000,3346000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2495210-1b500b8b939588e1cbba3b2903726de1&start=3243&end=3346","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2495210-1b500b8b939588e1cbba3b2903726de1/thumbnail_3243000.jpg","/articles/6299833/Waterloo/Black-Hawk-County/Iowa/City-council-approves-multiple-contracts-grants-and-infrastructure-awards-one-appeal-denied","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299833-f61efb745c9e1a4fbab05b21cf1a31c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770932349&Signature=jBtfZcutIgbOuWpb012ViKxWyVSENHTQRiArwcbOXcINX05MY9T~AdteKmKUkfhmGFjnxZcXc6gl3acyg8lHqC0K-orR3xNpxyTGoqWsOUwEIN41K9MS5RECuW9v8ZGfwxsYHSM8f5Do6ciYHuZtsk0h0Gu69GmBt0-45GR5tuCE8jFBlNU-anC51yXokttM1yKsVCGy97WzcIAxGM4iF6NiebQxsHtyDJFXDZyHp8ENXSJCCgGcOT-vDcOuZxzQW1A2VvXpdPyHOrHjnFI6uKg-zJ3RLRZi7Sh8OqXShiDwjwplT3i3fNsaK9Rrb6IK42sZheWOfisXXxMOikrnsg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Waterloo City Council approved a package of resolutions and contracts covering infrastructure work, professional services and city purchases and denied one appeal to allow vehicle parking in a public right-of-way.

Key outcomes: municipal pipelining (FY2025 Phase 5) — contract awarded to Municipal Pipe Tool Company, Hudson, Iowa, for $981,486.50 after bid opening; the engineer's estimate was $1,023,489.20 and four bidders submitted proposals. Council approved specifications, awarded the contract and authorized the mayor to sign the documents.

Other approved items included:
- A three-year subscription to security awareness and compliance software and support with Note Before Inc., $31,414.50.
- An amendment to a professional services agreement with AECOM Technical Services for rehabilitating Runway 18/36 (amendment amount $438,900; previously approved $425,900, total as amended cited during proceedings).
- A contract with Blackhawk Sprinklers Inc. for a dry-pipe sprinkler system in the public-works server room, $27,430, to reduce the risk of water damage to critical IT equipment.
- An addendum to the EEN communications contract (addendum no. 3) with EEN Engineering LLC for project-management, construction-inspection and related services in 2025 for $459,592 plus $4,000 per month inspector travel expenses.
- Supplemental and federal-agency construction agreements for Sunnyside Creek improvements and associated professional-service agreements (AECOM supplemental and an Iowa DOT construction agreement) and a Terracon consulting contract for Hawthorne Avenue storm sewer relief-well work.

Council also heard and voted on several development and land-use items (see separate articles for Merriam's Park and Sycamore Street). The council denied an appeal by A and D Auto Sales LLC to allow vehicles to be parked in the city-owned right-of-way between the street and property line at 721–727 Birmingham Avenue; the council voted in support of planning and engineering staff recommendations (roll-call recorded as all \"No\" on the appeal, overturning the appeal request).

Votes were recorded by roll call for most items; the pipelining contract and the package of professional-service amendments and purchases passed by majority roll-call votes reported by the clerk.","Council approved pipeline rehabilitation, several routine contracts and professional-service amendments and denied an appeal to allow parking in the public right-of-way. The largest contract award was for city pipelining; other approvals included airport runway design amendments, security training, and a server-room sprinkler system.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6299843,"LSI warns federal pause in refugee resettlement is straining local providers; council offers to help advocate",203,605000,808000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2495210-1b500b8b939588e1cbba3b2903726de1&start=605&end=808","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2495210-1b500b8b939588e1cbba3b2903726de1/thumbnail_605000.jpg","/articles/6299843/Waterloo/Black-Hawk-County/Iowa/LSI-warns-federal-pause-in-refugee-resettlement-is-straining-local-providers-council-offers-to-help-advocate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299843-aabe425ce16dbb621c7a2101bd831b74/orig.mp4?Expires=1770932349&Signature=mm0Jv6tWTjhWcuzUKx9fTKzu3NbwINOldT9aPovQOq6sF243WzLi3Ri5NQVA4rIWhJjN8GELKxKmFYG2fbGmQcFDsM1UHCPcApNjuj6R6DqiILDRfP5JLA3ZvEWAaeZ~szWtukkHYm0zUo8jtrwZkzUoS5EQqCRvFROk4-ztnIZmFLP-TKFP5DwxG00zaTil9~PDYWgTKlp5tCzm0cYtF96ze28rQG2p5x-XhUH0xLualh2Fum7Z1VeWThFUsZruPX3KdDGQgcibQZAO85S6UG10mHCf5N~UwCFY9KOSEqq9HHxeEVkrLZBDAimNtDjpzvBRf9RKF~bllL1Vnlhieg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lutheran Services in Iowa told the Waterloo City Council that a federal pause in the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program is disrupting local resettlement services and leaving some recently arrived families at risk of homelessness.

\"It is our country's best and most secure legal immigration pathway,\" Nick Wertz, director for immigrant and refugee community services at LSI, said of the federal program, describing how the Department of State partners with local organizations to place refugees and provide initial housing and services. He said the program in Waterloo resumed in 2023 and that LSI welcomed its first families in July 2024; since then LSI reported it has helped 93 individuals from Afghanistan, Syria, Venezuela and other countries.

Wertz told the council that an executive order affecting resettlement services had been signed on Jan. 20 and that the pause has interrupted federal reimbursements the agency depends on. \"We are now at risk because of lack of federal reimbursement of families becoming homeless and not getting into the workforce as we normally would help them do so,\" he said, urging the council to contact federally elected officials to press for reimbursement.

Council members and city staff thanked LSI and described Waterloo's history of welcoming immigrant communities. Councilwoman (recorded in minutes as) Greatensma said the city should \"continue to lead by example\" and work with the Human Rights Commission and local partners to keep services available. The mayor asked staff to provide council contact information and to arrange follow-up meetings.

Two LSI-affiliated speakers provided contact details and offered to share materials the council requested; the council asked staff to circulate those materials and to schedule updates so council members can better direct constituents seeking services.","Lutheran Services in Iowa told the council federal changes have paused refugee resettlement reimbursements and placed local families at risk of homelessness; LSI asked the council to contact federal legislators and offered to share information about its local resettlement work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves sale of 1651 Sycamore Street and development agreement with Crystal Distribution Services

Council approves sale of part of Merriam's Park to Waterloo Schools for school-bus access; neighbors raised safety, green-space concerns

City council approves multiple contracts, grants and infrastructure awards; one appeal denied

LSI warns federal pause in refugee resettlement is straining local providers; council offers to help advocate