A truck leasing company plans to build a new facility in southwest Cedar Rapids, bringing 10 new jobs to the market. The new Brown Truck Leasing facility is set for property along 76th Avenue SW, west of Sixth Street SW. It will be developed by TH Development LLC, an entity of Dennis Thompson and Hunter […]
A truck leasing company plans to build a new facility in southwest Cedar Rapids, bringing 10 new jobs to the market.
The new Brown Truck Leasing facility is set for property along 76th Avenue SW, west of Sixth Street SW. It will be developed by TH Development LLC, an entity of Dennis Thompson and Hunter Parks.
The Cedar Rapids City Council voted unanimously Tuesday, Aug. 22 to authorize financial incentives under the High-Quality Jobs – Economic Development Program for the facility’s construction. The project qualifies under the program based on the company’s plans to create 10 new jobs, all at or above the state’s current high-quality jobs wage threshold of $26.20 per hour, said Cedar Rapids economic development coordinator Scott Mather.
The standard incentive is a 10-year, 50% reimbursement of increased taxes generated by the project. Based on the investment and estimated post-development value, the project is expected to generate $1.4 million in total taxes over a 10-year period, of which $523,000 would be rebated back to the developer, according to city documents.
Plans for the $4 million Brown Truck Leasing facility call for an 11,000-square-foot building, with full drive-through bays, an automated wash bay and office space. A new road, 12th Street SW, would be constructed off 76th Avenue SW, on the west side of the property, to provide access to the building.
After a development plan for the project is formally approved, construction is planned to begin this fall and be completed in the spring of 2024.
Councilmember Scott Olson said he felt the project should include landscaping elements.
“There’s no landscaping shown, and I think we need to see that,” Mr. Olson said. “This is a heavy industrial site, but there's a ton of traffic there on 76th, and a lot of those sites have done a very nice job of landscaping. I know they will here, too, but I think we should see that, because (it’s) like asphalt city there, and I think landscape is an important part of the project.”
Councilmember Scott Overland voiced his support for such development projects in Cedar Rapids, “just like as I usually do.”
“Another 10 high-quality jobs is another win for our community,” he said. “And as we continue to create those high-quality jobs, the team effort of getting these projects underway and built is a big plus.”
Brown Truck Leasing has several locations across Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. The Gazette reports Brown Truck Leasing will move from a leased location in North Liberty to the new Cedar Rapids facility.
The council also approved the second and third readings of an ordinance to modify the conditions and site plan for the Cedar Rapids Country Club’s plan to build
a new outdoor tennis facility, with a seasonal temporary bubble structure, on club-owned land. The proposal has faced opposition from some neighborhood residents concerned about noise and lighting, viewshed issues and architectural compatibility with the surrounding area.
