Richard Pratt's stories

Marion library site rendering 1

Developers unveil preliminary plans for project at former Marion library site

Preliminary plans and renderings have been unveiled for a development project at former Marion Public Library square block near the heart of Uptown Marion. The Kilbourne Group of Fargo, North Dakota, which will serve as developer, and Dubuque-based Gronen, which…

Officials re-evaluating Marion Airport’s future plans

Plans for possible renovation and expansion of the Marion Airport are now in limbo, as…

Marion airport

Linn County official asks NextEra to consider raising Duane Arnold Solar panel heights

Most of Thursday’s Technical Review Committee meeting to review NextEra Energy Resource’s rezoning applications for…

Members of the Linn County Technical Review Committee discuss details of the Duane Arnold Solar projects with NextEra Energy representatives during a committee meeting Thursday, May 19, 2022 at the Jean Oxley Administrative Office Building in Cedar Rapids. CREDIT RICHARD PRATT

Buff City Soap to open second Cedar Rapids location Thursday

Buff City Soap, a handmade retail franchise known for its plant-based soap and body products…

Buff City Soap Blairs Ferry

New McDonald’s coming to former bank site along First Avenue near Lindale Mall

Construction is under way on a new McDonald’s restaurant at the former site of a…

Construction work continues for a new McDonald's restaurant at 4520 First Ave. NE in Cedar Rapids. CREDIT RICHARD PRATT

New flex warehouse coming to southwest Cedar Rapids

A new flex warehouse building under construction along Interstate 380 on the south side of…

flex warehouse

Construction begins on First and First West project

City officials and developers gathered Wednesday afternoon to formally break ground on the $100 million-plus…

Joe Ahmann at First and First West groundbreaking

Council tables consideration of Cedar Rapids Country Club expansion plan

A proposed expansion of the Cedar Rapids Country Club will have to wait – at…

A rendering of the Cedar Rapids Country Club's proposed indoor tennis facility.

The show must go on for these Johnson County arts organizations

Part 2 of a two-part series focusing on arts and theater organizations’ recovery from COVID-19,…

Groundbreaking set for First and First West project in Cedar Rapids

A groundbreaking ceremony is set for 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, for the $81.5 million…

IEDA Cedar Rapids award

Dows Farm ‘agri-community’ development in Linn County set to begin soon

Development work on the long-planned and oft-discussed Dows Farm Urban Renewal Area in Linn County…

Rendering for Dows Farm

First public meeting set May 19 to review Duane Arnold Solar proposals

The first public meeting to review the Duane Arnold Solar utility-scale solar application has been…

Solar panels

Union official hopeful for resolution of strike against King’s Ready-Mix

An officer with Teamsters Local 238 says the union is open to continued negotiations with…

King's Ready Mix strike

Toyota Financial cuts 322 jobs in Cedar Rapids as part of office closure plan

Toyota Financial Services will be eliminating 322 positions at the company’s Cedar Rapids customer service…

Toyota Financial

Teamsters members say wage dispute at heart of strike against King’s Ready-Mix

Citing a wage dispute, members of Teamsters Local 238 are in the second day of…

King's Ready-Mix

Rogers: Linn County persevered through challenges, but many more lie ahead

Linn County has persevered admirably through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the August…

The Linn County Jean Oxley Public Service Center in Cedar Rapids