May 2, 2024 (DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) announced over $19 million in awards to help transform 12 historic buildings. The awards were made through the Historic Preservation Tax Credit program.

“By supporting the restoration and revitalization of historic buildings, we not only preserve the architectural heritage of our communities but also breathe new life into them, creating vibrant spaces for generations to come.” said Debi Durham, director of IEDA and the Iowa Finance Authority.

The Historic Preservation Tax Credit program provides a state income tax credit to projects that rehabilitate underused or vacant historic buildings while maintaining the historic character-defining features that enhance neighborhoods and communities. Work completed on buildings must meet the federal Secretary of Interior Standards.

The most recent application round opened in January with approximately $19 million available for awards. IEDA received 13 applications requesting over $37 million in tax credits. Projects are scored based on readiness, financing and local support and participation. This round of awards will help to enhance historic buildings across the state including:

• Ames: Rehabilitation of the Cranford Apartments. One of the few remaining historic structures in Campustown, this is a 1922 brick structure comprised of commercial space on the first floor and 30 apartments on the second through fourth floors. The project will upgrade mechanicals, re-establish original window openings, modify the apartments to provide new kitchens and bathroom and laundry in each unit, a workout room in the attic and renovate the first floor space for Jeff’s Pizza.
• Carroll: Restoration of the Anne-Mar Building – Carroll Medical Center. This 1929 southwest Mediterranean architecture designed building located in the downtown area formerly housed a doctors’ clinic that served citizens outside of the hospital setting. The project involves converting the building into 12 new apartments.
• Council Bluffs: Transformation of the Council Bluffs Federal Building and Post Office. Located at the west end of the downtown commercial corridor, this three-story building was completed in 1959. The project will convert the property into 53 apartments and helps with the city’s housing needs.
• Dubuque: Revitalization of the Farley & Loetscher building. This project involves two buildings that formerly served as a window wood mill and furniture manufacturing facility. The buildings will be transformed into 127 apartments and mixed-use commercial/office spaces.

Download a spreadsheet with today’s awards here.

The Historic Preservation Tax Credit program is administered by IEDA. The next application round for large projects opens June 2024, with applications due September 16.  For more information on the program, visit www.iowaeda.com/historic-preservation-tax-credit/.

(Radio Iowa)  – A major road upgrade in the Iowa Great Lakes region is ahead of schedule. Iowa D-O-T engineer Darwin Bishop says the goal is for out-of-town motorists on Highway 71 to think everything looks normal during tourism season. “We’re on schedule to be completed with our roadway paving May 24. We might be out there for a couple of weeks after that working on driveways and sprinkler systems and sod,” Bishop says. “We’re going to go through and repaint everything through town so it looks nice for vacation season and hopefully there’s very little interruption for anybody.”

The project began LAST spring, replacing Highway 71 pavement and some sidewalks in Okoboji and Arnolds Park. “The rain has slowed us down a little bit, but we had a great start and the contractor has been doing a real good job of moving his crew around to the work that the weather conditions allow,” Bishop says, “so if it’s a little muddy and dirty, they’ll work in an area where they’re not in the dirt and then when the weather’s good, they can pave away.”

Iowa DOT map of Highway 71 in Iowa Great Lakes region

All of the road construction in the area should be done by Labor Day. Bishop says they’ll replace the adjacent sod in the spring of 2025. Highway 71 is the main thoroughfare through the Great Lakes. According to Vacation Okoboji, cell phone data indicates over 180-thousand tourists visited the area last July – about a quarter of them stayed more than six days.

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — Iowa is joining a lawsuit challenging a new rule that would stop some private firearm sales. A new rule from the Bureau of Tobacco and Firearms, known as ATF, would require a federal firearms dealer license for every person who sells a gun for a profit.

The change would force some private sellers to conduct background checks on potential gun buyers. The rule is set to go into effect on May 20. The filed lawsuit says the rule is unconstitutional because it is vague and circumvents Congress.

Attorneys General in 21 states are part of the lawsuit against the new ATF rule.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) — A Cedar Rapids man was arrested after police said he flashed a handgun at a driver in a road rage incident on Interstate 380 in Johnson County on Wednesday. According to KCRG-TV, a criminal complaint says 36-year-old Shawn Pettit is charged with assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Law enforcement said they were called by a driver heading south on I-380 near mile marker 4, saying a heavy-set, bald man driving a Chevy Silverado had flashed a handgun at them after brake-checking in front of them.

The caller told police the driver of the truck was driving “extremely fast,” well over the posted speed limit and weaving in and out of traffic. Police said they later found the truck with the same license plate number and description near the 87-mile marker on Highway 218.

According to the complaint, Pettit admitted to having a handgun in the vehicle and admitted to having the confrontation with the victim while driving fast and weaving in and out of traffic on I-380 through Johnson County.

(Radio Iowa) – The annual Pella Tulip Festival gets underway today (Thursday) as the community celebrates its Dutch heritage. Pella Historical Museum executive director, Jessi Galligan  says they’ve survived the recent warmer and wetter. “It’s been wonderful weather mixed with some not so wonderful weather but the weather can’t stop the fun,” she says. Some of the tulips did mature and bloom earlier than normal, but there’s still plenty of color for the event. “We plant early mid and late blooming varieties to extend that,” she says. “of course Mother Nature has the last word on how things actually end up. So we had tulips blooming already in February, but we still have tulips blooming today, so it was an extraordinarily long blooming season,” Galligan says. You’ll see a lot of different tulips around the town.

“Our early bloomers are for sure done. Our mid bloomers are looking a little rough, they’re on their way out, but our late bloomers are still just perfect,” she says. The recent storms and rains haven’t dampened the enthusiasm of organizers. “Yeah, tulips are a hearty flower so the rain obviously is good for them and their growth period. If the rain is too heavy and the tulips are on their way out then perhaps that will hasten their to their their petals falling,” she says. “But you know, we’ve gotten a decent mount of rain, nowhere near what some other communities in Iowa have gotten. But it really hasn’t hurt him too bad the ones that are still looking good or are still looking good.” The Tulip Festival will also have the old favorite foods, parades and other events, along with some new things.

“We are excited to have a brand new mural set up between the Vermeer Windmill and the entrance to the gift shop. Welcome to Tulip Time, so make sure you get your picture there. And I know a couple other new murals have popped up around the community sponsored by other organizations in town so make sure you check out all the murals in town. And I believe with this new one there will be for around the community to check out,” Galligan says.

The events run through Saturday. You can find the complete schedule at pellahistorical.org.