CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A tree-lined median down the center of First Avenue East is among the options under consideration for a portion of the major thoroughfare, as Cedar Rapids prepares to present its First Avenue Corridor Redevelopment Plan.
Residents are invited to an open house from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at Coe College Clark Alumni House, 200 Center Point Road NE, to view the plans. The event is open to the public.
Under one option, trees would be planted down the middle of First Avenue East to reduce the number of lanes and slow traffic in the five-block area, from approximately 17th Street to 12th Street.
The closure in June 2024 of the First Avenue Hy-Vee, 1556 First Ave. NE, was cited as one impetus for a Micro-Area Action Plan that preceded the redevelopment plan. The store remains vacant.
“The 1st Ave Hy-Vee was especially important to the adjacent neighborhoods,” a report by the city noted. “In the same way as catalytic projects can revitalize an area, the loss of essential commercial activity can severely hamper it.”
Related: Grocery store opens near vacant Hy-Vee
Demonstrators in May 2024 protest in front of the First Avenue Hy-Vee, which closed in June 2024. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
City leaders have focused on First Avenue — a state highway and major arterial — as it was primarily designed to efficiently move vehicle traffic to and from downtown.
“While maintaining comfortable and efficient vehicle travel is vitally important, it has created an environment that can be dangerous to pedestrians at times,” the report noted. “Long wait times at
crosswalks and long distances between 1st Ave crossings have incentivized residents to cross
at unsanctioned locations along 1st Avenue. These crossings have resulted in multiple vehicle and pedestrian collisions.”
City staff presented the proposals during neighborhood association meetings late last year, including the Mound View Neighborhood Association. The neighborhood in northeast Cedar Rapids is adjacent to First Avenue, while Wellington Heights, in southeast Cedar Rapids, is on the other side of the busy thoroughfare.
A tree-lined or planted median would naturally slow traffic and assist with beautification, Noah Zeker, a planner with the city’s Community Development & Planning Department said.
Bus turnoff lanes and bike lanes were other concepts being studied, while walkable historic neighborhoods were cited as an asset.
City Council member Dale Todd compared the ideas to city investments in New Bohemia in southeast Cedar Rapids.
“All of these neighborhoods have moved ahead while this one has languished,” Todd said during a Mound View meeting. “The reason is because this neighborhood never had a plan.”
“It’s got to change,” he continued. “We are committed along with Coe (College) to see that something happens.”
Cedar Rapids Historian Mark Stoffer Hunter leads a First Avenue walking tour for the nonprofit Save CR Heritage in June 2023. Historic neighborhoods have been cited as an asset in the area. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
Members of the public will be able to see the plans and provide comment during the open house.
According to the city, the First Avenue Corridor Redevelopment Plan is a reinvestment strategy that focuses on strengthening identity, stabilizing existing businesses, improving safety and walkability and guiding sustainable redevelopment.
“Due to its central location and strong daily activity, 1st Avenue East is primed for revitalization and new residential and retail development,” a press release from the city stated. “The Redevelopment Plan translates the community vision from the Micro-Area Action Plan into clear, visual, and actionable guidance for attracting new uses, investment, and redevelopment. It serves as a practical roadmap for near-term progress and long-term corridor stability.”
City staff will be available to answer questions during the open house, and to walk the public through specific details about the plan.
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