Downtown and Riverfront Crossings

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Welcome to Riverfront Crossings

A new neighborhood just south of downtown featuring a waterfront park with walking and biking trails, access to the Iowa River for boating and fishing, a variety of housing options near shopping, restaurants, jobs, a state-of-the-art recital hall and recreational facilities, just a short walk to Downtown Iowa City and the University of Iowa campus.

Riverfront Crossings is well-situated for redevelopment. The district is adjacent to the downtown and the Iowa River, proximate to major employers, well served by public transportation, and intersected by a regional trail network, arterial streets and two rail lines. The University of Iowa is investing in the area, through the newly constructed recreation center and the planned re-location of the UI School of Music and Clapp Recital Hall. Johnson County recently expanded their offices and opened a new facility in the heart of the district. The wastewater treatment plant in the southwest portion of the district has been demolished and the area transformed into a riverfront park, which will be designed to better absorb flood waters from both Ralston Creek and the Iowa River and include trails, boat access, beautiful river views and other amenities that will attract private residential and commercial development to park-side properties.

Riverfront Crossings Map

Construction Updates

January 2017: First Phase of Park Design Underway

The transformation of Riverfront Crossings Park continues.

The design of the first phase of improvements is well underway. A public open house meeting discussing the first phase of the project was held Nov. 2, 2016. Phase 1 will focus on restoration of Ralston Creek, wetland creation, and providing trail connections to the surrounding neighborhoods and is slated for construction in late summer 2017. Additional areas of the park will be developed in the future as funding becomes available.

Planning Documents

Affordable Housing Requirements and Application

The Iowa City City Council established an Affordable Housing Requirement for all new residential development in the Riverfront Crossings District, as described in the Iowa City Code of Ordinances 14-2G-8. The following outlines the administrative rules and requirements for developers and owners who build new residential units within this district. For more information, please contact Neighborhood Services staff at 319-356-5230.