Coralville city officials give update on West Village, ‘new urbanist’ neighborhood

Coralville residents and community leaders packed the city’s council chambers Monday afternoon to hear updates on West Village, Coralville’s newest ambitious residential project. The meeting, a network event facilitated by Greater Iowa City Inc., gave a detailed overview of the vision for the “new urbanist” residential development that promises a pedestrian-friendly, community-centered neighborhood. Comprising 28 acres in the southwest corner of Oakdale and Jones Boulevards, the development plans for 450 residential units in a variety of housing options, including single-family detached homes, townhomes and multi-family units. Of these, 107 of the multi-family units will be provided above 33,000 square feet of first floor commercial space in two mixed-use buildings located nearest the intersection of the two streets. “This fall, you’ll see grading start to happen, so we’ll be moving dirt and you’ll probably see foundations going in in early spring,” said Dave Johnson, Coralville’s community development director. The development is closely modeled after Iowa City’s Peninsula Neighborhood, which received inspiration from U.S. historic neighborhoods in late 19th and early 20th century towns. Hallmarks include well-defined front porches and streetscapes close to the road, narrow, tree-lined streets, outdoor common areas and classic architecture. Vehicles are secondary in the design plans, which focus on the pedestrian and resident experience and walkability to access amenities and recreation. “What's kind of a trademark in this type of development is that you create a walkable, desirable neighborhood, and something that couldn't be done through more traditional development,” said Mr. Johnson.

New school spurs changes to West Land Use Master Plan

West Village is a key component of Coralville’s West Land Use Master Plan, which has evolved in response to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the opening of East Ridge Elementary School on Crossing Ridge Drive. The school, which welcomed students in August, is located just west of the proposed development. The school's opening created new opportunities for residential growth, changing the market for local developers that held interest in the land, said Mr. Johnson, highlighting the transformative impact East Ridge Elementary has had on the region’s development landscape. In response to the heightened demand for housing, the city has amended its land use plan twice, shifting corporate office space to low- and medium-density residential zones. This move addresses the growing need for housing in the community and reflects a strategic pivot toward residential development. “Since 2016 when this plan was done, we've seen lots of changes,” said Mr. Johnson. “Covid changed a lot. You see far less demand for corporate office space, large scale office space. And there was a large percentage of the land area in the West Land Use that was designed for corporate office space, while all at the same time, we were seeing huge demands for housing…the school really represented a new opportunity for residential development that is very, very much needed.” Aligned with its pedestrian-friendly design, West Village will feature a range of community amenities, including a park with a playground and gazebo, a dedicated dog park, and a nature park. The nature park will include a sedge meadow stormwater feature and a walking path, providing a natural connection between the development’s commercial areas and Crossing Ridge Drive. All of this aims to create a neighborhood that will cultivate a sense of community, said Adam Pretorius, a broker associate with Lepic-Kroeger Realtors. “Something fun happens when community becomes part of your culture. If you create a culture of community, community grows very exponentially,” said Mr. Pretorius.

North Liberty collaborates on some infrastructure

The project will be completed in three phases over an eight year period, with phase one beginning in spring 2025 with the construction of townhomes in the northwest quadrant. Additionally, city engineer Scott Larson outlined several critical infrastructure projects that are transforming the West Land Use area. While the plan has been in place for several years, Mr. Larson emphasized that substantial progress is now being made on the essential infrastructure needed to realize the vision, even though much of it remains out of public view. At the heart of these developments is the central trunk sewer, a large-scale project that stretches from Highway 6 to the Fox Valley lift station in North Liberty. This system, the result of a collaboration between Coralville and North Liberty, will manage wastewater for key locations, including the newly opened East Ridge Elementary School, the West Village subdivision, and the Iowa Medical Classification Center (IMCC). Another key project is the Oakdale Boulevard extension, a short but strategic road expansion that will link the Oakdale-Jones Boulevard roundabout to Crossing Ridge Drive. This extension is vital for ensuring access to both East Ridge Elementary and West Village, and includes upgraded water supply infrastructure designed for firefighting capacity. “We're also extending an 18-inch water main, which is part of our long term framework, to make sure that the entire West Land Use Area has enough water supply – number one – but also the capability necessary for fighting fires,” he said. Additionally, the Clear Creek Stream Mitigation Bank addresses federal regulations requiring stream impact mitigation. With no mitigation credits available in eastern Iowa, Coralville launched this initiative to generate its own stream credits, which the city can use or sell to developers and other municipalities. These infrastructure initiatives, especially the sewer and road projects, are crucial to supporting the region’s residential and commercial growth, according to Mr. Larson. Oakes Family Partnership is listed as the project's developer, and Hodge Construction and Elevation Homebuilders & Remodeling will oversee the construction.