Dream City breaks ground on $3 million entrepreneurial hub renovations

With around 50 attendees gathered under a humid summer sky, Iowa City nonprofit Dream City hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning at 611 Southgate Ave.  Dream City, which assists families and youth throughout Johnson County, commemorated the start of months-long extensive renovations to its existing space. Made possible by a $3 million ARPA grant from […]

With around 50 attendees gathered under a humid summer sky, Iowa City nonprofit Dream City hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning at 611 Southgate Ave.  Dream City, which assists families and youth throughout Johnson County, commemorated the start of months-long extensive renovations to its existing space. Made possible by a $3 million ARPA grant from the City of Iowa City, the renovations will be carried out in collaboration with Hodge Construction Company and Slingshot Architecture.  Multiple local elected officials, supporters, and staff were in attendance, with Dream City Executive Director and Founder Fred Newell, Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague, and other leaders speaking before the groundbreaking.  Mr. Newell spoke on the history of Dream City, which he founded in 2012, and how it has grown and continues to grow with the support of the community.  “At just the age of 23 years old, I was driven by a troubling reality: Too many young Black and Brown boys in our community were growing up without fathers, and the opportunities available to them and their families felt like there was so limited,” Mr. Newell said. “But I knew that something had to be done. I believe in the power of change through advocacy, our wellness, our shared connections through community building. But over the years, Dream City continues to grow into something greater than I ever could have imagined.” He said Dream City has helped and served over 500 families, more than 1000 youths, and hundreds of fathers since its inception, and went on to describe how the renovations will continue this mission.

The renovated facility will include a commercial kitchen space, multi-use event and gathering spaces, micro-commercial space opportunities, as well as updated classroom and office spaces.  Renovations are expected to be completed by Spring 2025. While under construction, Dream City will continue to serve the community in a limited capacity, with an emphasis on virtual programs, according to a release from last month.   The renovations are part of Dream City’s Regional Hub project, which aims to “enrich [the county’s] entrepreneurial ecosystem through services that promote innovation, collaboration, and economic growth.” Mr. Teague also touched on the process of reviewing and awarding the ARPA grant to Dream City, noting Iowa City City Councilors Megan Alter, Laura Bergus, Shawn Harmsen, and Josh Moe in the crowd. “From the beginning, there was something truly special about Dream City and their application and everyone's application, so I do want to give it up to my colleagues that actually had the opportunity to vote on this,” Mr. Teague said. “We know the history of the inequities that have happened in our nation, we can’t hide it, it is what it is. But today, we have the opportunity to do something about it. And that's what the city of Iowa City saw through this ARPA fund opportunity.” 

Iowa state Senator Janice Weiner, Johnson County Supervisor Royceann Porter, former Iowa City Mayor Jim Throgmorton, and former South of 6 Director Angie Jordan were also in attendance.  Wrapping up the speaking portion of the event, representatives from Slingshot and Hodge both expressed their support and excitement for the project. They were followed by a few words from local entrepreneurs Simeon Talley and David Robinson, who have both worked with Dream City extensively.  “Dream City has played a crucial role in my development as far as connecting with people, being a part of community, understanding that we have a voice when it comes down to this environment,” Mr. Robinson said. “Over time, I've learned that my journey as an entrepreneur is really about building a community, holding on to your values and creating the vision that you want…Let's continue to inspire and empower other entrepreneurs to do the things that we need to do today.”