(Radio Iowa) – Cedar Falls leaders are crafting a plan to revitalize the College Hill area, one of the town’s best-known neighborhoods. The goal is to create a thriving neighborhood with student housing, restaurants, and walkable streets. The area near the University of Northern Iowa campus is historic and densely populated, but it’s gained a reputation for run-down housing and vacant storefronts. Mayor Danny Laudick says zoning changes are part of a broader effort.
“I think we’re trying to really take a more holistic approach to how do we re-envision College Hill as a district,” Laudick says, “and then how do we, as the city, support that happening.” City planner Karen Howard says success on College Hill depends on several outside factors.
“What I like to tell people is zoning provides an opportunity, but it’s not the market, so the market really needs to be there,” Howard says. “If the student population at UNI goes up, for example, then there’s additional demand, versus if it goes down. Obviously, all of this is dependent on the market.”
The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved the changes for College Hill last month. The city council aims to finalize them this summer.
