Macro Green Business Park Breaks Ground in Iowa City

Developers: New park to bring 2,000 jobs

B.A. Morelli • Iowa City Press-Citizen

Developers of a new business park said they will bring at least 2,000 new jobs to Iowa City and possibly as many as 5,000.

Called Moss Green Urban Village, the park ideally would feature three large "box office" employers, similar to a Pearson Inc. or Wells Fargo, 10 to 20 medium size employers and 40 to 60 small employers, said officials with ECO-4 Partners.

"We are thinking we will create at least 2,000 jobs for the state of Iowa," Jared Vincent, a principal of ECO-4 and a driving force behind the project, said after a ceremonial groundbreaking.  The 170-acre mixed-use project will be on Highway 1 north of Interstate 80. The project will add $200 million of taxable value to the Iowa City tax base, said Wally Pelds, a civil engineering consultant with ECO-4 Partners.  If that comes to fruition, that could mean $8 million in new money for the city, county and school district, Iowa City Mayor Matt Hayek said. 

"There is no doubt about it, this is an aggressive development, but it is an exciting development and the developer is taking on the risk," Hayek said.  The theme behind the project is expansive but environmentally friendly or "macro green." Vincent and Pelds pledge that each building will consume less than 50,000 British thermal units, a standard measurement for energy use in buildings, or about 60 percent less than an average usage of 128,000 Btu.

The park itself, which will be built on the former Moss Dairy Farm, will incorporate a wooded area and a trail system.  Vincent said he expects to draw employers in from outside the state based on the park's environmentally friendly theme.  "Those are things that will attract people, money and energy savings, and the opportunity to be responsible," Vincent said. "It's all green infrastructure. This is the only place in the country they can come in and do this."

Pelds said it would take five to 10 years to build the 14-building park. The first building is expected to be up by summer 2011, and the rollout will depend on how quickly businesses sign on.  Vincent said they are in discussion with the Iowa Department of Economic Development for larger employers as well as the Iowa City Area Development Group for other businesses.

Included in the project is connecting Oakdale Boulevard to Highway 1.  The developers will pay the costs of the road up front, but the Iowa City Council voted to designate the park as a tax increment financing district, or TIF. Pending final details of a development agreement, which is expected, the developers can get $13.7 million in tax rebates to repay the cost of the road and other infrastructure for the park, said Wendy Ford, Iowa City Economic Development coordinator.

Neal Llewellyn, 77, of Iowa City, who is allowing his land to be used for the road, was on hand for the ceremony.  "I think it is a great project. I think it looks pretty interesting on paper. I just hope it gets off the ground," he said.