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Council OKs riverfront study funds
By Cindy Iutzi/Gate City Staff Writer
What should become of the Keokuk riverfront? What do citizens envision for the area? And how can than those visions become reality?
Those are questions that will begin to be answered by spring, following Thursday's decision by the Keokuk city council to fund a conceptual master plan for the riverfront.
A citizens committee that originated with the Keokuk Vision plan recommended that the city council hire the Durrant Group, Dubuque, to conduct the study. The city agreed to make up to $30,000 available for the project, which includes up to $3,000 in travel and other related costs.
“I really think we'll have this done by the spring,” said Mark Smidt, chair of the Riverfront Improvement Committee and a member of the Vision committee. “We're excited about moving forward.”
Smidt said the riverfront committee recommended Durrant for three reasons: the scope of services they provide, their familiarity with a host of agencies that could assist with the plan and their team-based, citizen-involved approach.
Smidt noted Durrant's capability to provide architectural design, construction engineering, landscape design, interior design, financing and the many other areas of expertise a conceptual plan would require.
“Another thing that impressed us is their familiarity with the agencies we'd be working with,” Smidt said. The riverfront improvement project would directly involve the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Natural Resources, FEMA, the Iowa Department of Transportation and a host of others with equal weight.
And he added, “They will be more inclusive and comprehensive as to how they will do the study.”
Durant also will make many trips to Keokuk, have more public meetings and solicit more public input, Smidt said.
Smidt sees three to five projects for the riverfront coming out of the broad conceptual plan. Each project will require a more comprehensive plan and major funding.
The eventual need for major funding is one of the primary reasons for developing a formal master plan. The group will use the conceptual plan as a tool in seeking grants and other funding to implement the projects that emerge.
Shive-Hattery of Cedar Rapids also was under consideration for a master plan and had offered the low bid of $19,500.
Council member Susan Dunek asked whether the Durant Group is aware that the Hanson Group of Springfield, Ill., is putting together a master plan for the Southeast Iowa Regional Economic and Port Authority.
Katie O'Brien, executive director of the Keokuk Area Chamber of Commerce said both groups are aware of the other.
“There is potential for good overlap,” she said.
The port authority board hired the Hanson group last year to provide a plan for the multi-modal economic and port authority. That plan, too, will be done by spring.
“Can the improvements be done in such a way they are not impacted by floods?” Keokuk Mayor David Gudgel asked. “I say that because we are having trouble with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).”
Gudgel also asked for assurance that the Riverfront Improvement Committee would provide oversight of the project funding and continue to work on the project in the future.
The Riverfront Improvement Committee arose from the Keokuk Area Vision with Action Plan, which was introduced to area residents 17 months ago. Since then, the all-volunteer initiative to improve the area economy and the Keokuk riverfront and beautify the community and better care for citizens, has been the focus of a large, diverse group of area residents.
Those are questions that will begin to be answered by spring, following Thursday's decision by the Keokuk city council to fund a conceptual master plan for the riverfront.
A citizens committee that originated with the Keokuk Vision plan recommended that the city council hire the Durrant Group, Dubuque, to conduct the study. The city agreed to make up to $30,000 available for the project, which includes up to $3,000 in travel and other related costs.
“I really think we'll have this done by the spring,” said Mark Smidt, chair of the Riverfront Improvement Committee and a member of the Vision committee. “We're excited about moving forward.”
Smidt said the riverfront committee recommended Durrant for three reasons: the scope of services they provide, their familiarity with a host of agencies that could assist with the plan and their team-based, citizen-involved approach.
Smidt noted Durrant's capability to provide architectural design, construction engineering, landscape design, interior design, financing and the many other areas of expertise a conceptual plan would require.
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And he added, “They will be more inclusive and comprehensive as to how they will do the study.”
Durant also will make many trips to Keokuk, have more public meetings and solicit more public input, Smidt said.
Smidt sees three to five projects for the riverfront coming out of the broad conceptual plan. Each project will require a more comprehensive plan and major funding.
The eventual need for major funding is one of the primary reasons for developing a formal master plan. The group will use the conceptual plan as a tool in seeking grants and other funding to implement the projects that emerge.
Shive-Hattery of Cedar Rapids also was under consideration for a master plan and had offered the low bid of $19,500.
Council member Susan Dunek asked whether the Durant Group is aware that the Hanson Group of Springfield, Ill., is putting together a master plan for the Southeast Iowa Regional Economic and Port Authority.
Katie O'Brien, executive director of the Keokuk Area Chamber of Commerce said both groups are aware of the other.
“There is potential for good overlap,” she said.
The port authority board hired the Hanson group last year to provide a plan for the multi-modal economic and port authority. That plan, too, will be done by spring.
“Can the improvements be done in such a way they are not impacted by floods?” Keokuk Mayor David Gudgel asked. “I say that because we are having trouble with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).”
Gudgel also asked for assurance that the Riverfront Improvement Committee would provide oversight of the project funding and continue to work on the project in the future.
The Riverfront Improvement Committee arose from the Keokuk Area Vision with Action Plan, which was introduced to area residents 17 months ago. Since then, the all-volunteer initiative to improve the area economy and the Keokuk riverfront and beautify the community and better care for citizens, has been the focus of a large, diverse group of area residents.
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