Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly began his annual “State of the City” address Tuesday, March 11 in his typical upbeat style, but with a twist – noting that this is his tenth year leading the state’s 13th-largest city.
“This past decade is truly a case study in what a team – or a community – can accomplish when leaders lead from the front, with authenticity and a servant’s heart; when we put aside divisive politics and personal agendas in service of the greater good; when we understand that we are all on the same team and we focus on the ‘unity’ in community; when we collaborate and make room at the table for all who can add value; when we dream bigger and reach higher than we thought was possible; when we believe ‘we can’ and we say ‘why not?’; when we decide to drive our own destiny and make things happen rather than allow things to happen to us; when we understand that we have one chance to do things the right way, and that “good enough” truly never is, and we invest the extra effort in achieving our best,” Mr. AbouAssaly said to an estimated 630 attendees in the annual address, titled “Shaping a Premier Community,” at the DoubleTree by Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Center.
Mr. AbouAssaly highlighted a number of initiatives in progress, or completed, in the past year, in a city that now boasts an estimated population of 43,000 – 16% higher than a decade ago, and 63% higher than the year 2000. In Iowa, only Waukee and Ankeny are growing more rapidly than Marion, accordion to Mr. AbouAssaly.
“We’re proving what I’ve believed for years – many people today choose where they want to live, and then they look for a job,” Mr. AbouAssaly said. “When they have a choice, people see Marion as a place where they can meet their needs, experience community and enjoy an unequaled quality of life.”
To accommodate Marion’s population growth, developers have built 1,537 new single-family homes and 1,014 multifamily units in the past decade, as well as four communities for older adults, Mr. AbouAssaly said. That housing growth has contributed to an overall increase of $2 billion, or 83%, in total assessed property valuation in Marion.
He noted the transformation of the eastern end of the city’s Central Corridor over the past decade, from an industrially-dominated “eyesore” to an “attractive commercial center” with a new hotel that catalyzed surrounding development.
Other Marion development projects highlighted by Mr. AbouAssaly include Green Park Apartments, a 147-unit infill apartment complex on the site of the former YMCA at 1003 31st St., featuring indoor parking and pickleball courts; ongoing projects along newly-completed sections of Tower Terrace Road; and the new pedestrian bridge and Boulevard Apartments near the city’s west gateway.
The 100-acre Marion Enterprise Center has added several new tenants in the past decade, and developments from the West End to Lincolnview Square and the East Town Crossing, including the new Holiday Inn Express, are helping to power the local and regional economy.
Mr. AbouAssaly also announced plans for ESCO Electric Company to replace its existing facility on Third Avenue with a new, $8.5 million facility along Highway 151 east of Highway 13. Pending a formal development agreement and a job training contract with Kirkwood Community College, the project is expected to bring 18 new jobs to Marion, Mr. AbouAssaly said.
Uptown Marion tallied 16 new business starts and expansions in 2024, and the Chamber of Commerce hosted 39 ribbon-cutting ceremonies, including the opening of ER facilities in Marion by both Mercy Medical Center and UnityPoint Health.
Mr. AbouAssaly noted that a study is currently being conducted to determine the potential for a full-service hotel in Uptown Marion. He also extolled the virtues of the new Marion Central Plaza, which will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 7. The project includes a newly-enclosed Depot building, public art, play areas, water features, and a large open space for community and regional events, as well as a refrigerated ice rink slated to open in December.
The city will also open Draper Park, a pocket park along the Grant Wood Trail that will honor the city’s railroad history and include the renovated caboose that’s been relocated from Marion Square Park, and launch the first phase of the Indian Creek Master Plan, which Mr. AbouAssaly described as “a long-term vision for activating the creek and capitalizing on its potential to be a true community amenity.” The first phase will include a trailhead for land and water-based trail systems and include parking and canoe and kayak access.
Plans for a new aquatic park to replace the city’s aging pool at Willowood Park are also in the works. The new $26 million facility, featuring a lazy river, water slides, a wave pool, a diving well, and a 25-yard lap pool with a ninja warrior obstacle course, could open as soon as May 2027, if a bond referendum set for November is approved by Marion voters.
Several more development projects are expected to begin this year, Mr. AbouAssaly noted, including Broad and Main on 6th, a four-story building with 42 apartments and ground-floor commercial space expected to be completed by the end of 2026; Hoth Flats, a four-story, 34-unit workforce housing project at 10th Street and Eighth Avenue; the ongoing transformation of the historic Marion Methodist Church building to the Belltower Lofts, with 54 units of living space; and the redevelopment of the former Marion Public Library site into a multi-story, mixed-use development, with businesses or retailers on the main floor, market–rate apartments on the upper floors, and structured parking for tenants.
All told, Mr. AbouAsssaly said the future of Marion continues to be defined by an optimistic vision and an entrepreneurial spirit.
“If you live, work or own a business in Marion, our goal is to give you the best opportunities to succeed in business and in life,” he said. “And for our friends and partners in the region, know that Marion is working to be the best small city in America so that we can fully contribute to what makes our entire region attractive for people and businesses. When each community and every corner of this region thrive, we all benefit. I’m proud that Marion has earned its place at the table and is offering its best to help grow a strong and vibrant region.”
Nancy Miller honored as 2025 Community Impact Award recipient
Also at Tuesday’s event, Nancy A. Miller was announced as the 2025 Morris F. Neighbor Community Impact Award recipient.
The announcement was made by Mr. AbouAssaly and Chamber President Jill Ackerman.
According to a release, Ms. Miller has a long history of advocating for Marion residents and making contributions toward the advancement of the community. She has been an ex-officio member of the Marion Public Library Board of Trustees since 1994, and is a member of the Marion Public Library Foundation Board of Directors and the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Friendship Force Club.
In 1994, Ms. Miller received an inheritance from her mother. Rather than keeping the gift for herself, she considered where it could make the biggest impact. That year, she provided a $500,000 donation that jump-started the effort to build a new Marion Public Library. She later contributed an additional $150,000, making her donation the largest received for that facility, which opened in 1996. For the next 24 years, the Nancy A. Miller Marion Public Library served this community.
As a mother and longtime second-grade teacher, Ms. Miller’s commitment to education and reading inspired her gift and decades of community volunteerism. When the community had outgrown the Nancy A. Miller Public Library – even before the 2020 derecho – Ms. Miller put aside her personal connection with the building. She not only supported the city’s plan to build a new facility; she became a champion for the new library. She remains a regular volunteer at the library, an advocate for library users with disabilities and one of its biggest cheerleaders. In the last year alone, the Marion Public Library welcomed nearly 180,000 visitors.
“Nancy helped Marion build not only one library but two,” said Bill Carroll in his nomination. “Because, for Nancy, it’s always been about how a library serves its community.”
The Community Impact Award is presented annually by the Marion Chamber of Commerce and the city of Marion. It honors longtime banker and community philanthropist Morris F. Neighbor. Nr. Neighbor began his career at Farmers State Bank in 1945 as a teller and in 1968, he and his wife, Betty, purchased the bank. Throughout his career, he championed the importance of volunteerism and dedication to community. Through his leadership, the Neighbor family has given to countless capital campaigns, community events and charitable organizations.
Mr. Neighbor passed away in 2019 at the age of 100.
