16 Jan Award ceremony highlights sustainable developments around Iowa
WHO TV — At the Iowa Statehouse on Tuesday, the group 1000 Friends of Iowa presented the 2017 Best Development Awards.
“1000 Friends is the only statewide organization that’s focused on land use,” said Board President Laura Belen. “One reason I’ve stayed involved with the organization is that it takes a really big picture view of what it means to protect the land, farmland, natural areas, or revitalizing neighborhoods.”
Below is the group’s News Release List of the 2017 Winners:
- Innovative Leadership category, the City of Clive for the Walnut Creek and Clive Greenbelt initiatives in Clive
- Mixed-Use category, Blackbird Investments for the Wilkins Building in Des Moines
- New Residential category, KCL Engineering for the Parkside Residential Development in Charles City
- Placemaking/Greenspace category, the City of Glidden for the Albert Kruger, Sr. Shelter in Glidden
- Renewable Energy category, St. John the Apostle Catholic Church and Red Lion Renewables for the Solar Array in Norwalk
- Renovated Civic category, the City of Sioux City for the Sioux City Promenade in Sioux City
- Renovated Commercial category, SingleSpeed Brewing Co. for the Wonder Bread Building in Waterloo
- Renovated Residential category, Downtown Leases, and Lofts for the Kibbey Building in Marshalltown
- Stormwater Management category, the City of Denison for the 14th Street Parking Lot in Denison
- Transportation/Complete Streets category, the City of Muscatine for the Kent Stein Park to Deep Lakes Park Trail in Muscatine
- In a special Jurors’ Choice category, the City of Dubuque for its long-term, big-vision cross-cutting activities.
Blackbird Investments is developing the Wilkins Building.
“The Wilkins Building, for those of you who don’t know, was part of the Younkers site and part of the 2014 fire which took down the eastern half of the building,” said James Spiller of Blackbird Investments. “We are thrilled to open the Wilkins Building and have a restored tea room.”