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Sep 13, 2023

Construction begins on CYTown parking lots at Iowa State University

Initial construction on the CYTown entertainment district began this week and

Initial construction on the CYTown entertainment district began this week and some parking lots will be unavailable until football season, Iowa State University announced this week.

The first work includes stripping pavement off parking lots and decommissioning underground utilities in the lots between Jack Trice Stadium and the Iowa State Center to prepare for the $200 million, 3-acre development.

CYTown, to be located on land now known as Tent Row, is planned to include a medical clinic, retail and office space, restaurants and brew pubs, luxury suites and an amphitheater to be used on game days or for concerts and other events. It's modeled after larger developments in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Kansas City, Missouri.

Once the existing infrastructure is removed, new utility infrastructure including a storm water management system will be installed. More than 160,000 cubic yards of material will be brought to raise the site's elevation 5 feet above flood stage of the nearby Ioway Creek — which is 2 feet higher than what's required by Ames city code, according to a news release from Iowa State Athletics.

The Iowa Board of Regents in November gave approval for this $28.5 million first phase of CYTown using athletic department funds, university investment income and private gifts. However, the athletic department's news release noted the bid for the first phase came in $5 million under budget.

"The University has worked with the Elder Corporation to develop an aggressive, yet reasonable construction timeline to complete phase one," Iowa State Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said in the department's news release. "This plan also provides ample on-site parking for student and employee commuters, as well as for those attending events within the Iowa State Center."

The Elder Corporation is the Pleasant Hill-based excavating contractor that received the bid for the project.

More:See images of the proposed renovation to Iowa State's Scheman Building

Work will begin with the D parking lots located on the east side along University Boulevard and continue into lots C5 and C6 on the south end near Jack Trice Stadium. Those parking lots are expected to be closed until mid-August but are scheduled to reopen ahead of the fall semester at Iowa State and football season.

A later, second half of the first phase will include work on lots A3, A4, B5 and B6.

The athletic department noted in its release that once the parking lots reopen, people will notice not only a new surface, better lighting and fire lanes but also lots and stalls configured at 90 degrees and not the angled parking that's been in use since the Iowa State Center originally opened.

More:Luxury apartments at CYTown could rent for $2.5 million over a 10-year lease

The combination of the under-budget bid for the first phase of infrastructure work and a private gift may allow Iowa State to begin phase two infrastructure work immediately upon the completion of the first phase, according to the athletic department.

The second phase includes parking lots A1, A2, B3, B4, C3 and C4. That work is expected to go before the board of regents this spring for approval. All the parking lots and utility infrastructure for CYTown could be completed within three years.

Athletic department spokesperson Nick Joos said construction on buildings could begin as parking lots and infrastructure are completed.

"The energy behind this project has been far greater than we could have ever imagined," Pollard said. "In addition, having the Elder Corporation working alongside us, led by a lifelong Cyclone fan in J. Elder II, gives us great confidence the first phase of this project will only strengthen the overall momentum of CYTown."

The athletic department is working with the Cushman & Wakefield real estate firm to identify potential CYTown tenants and develop plans and cost estimates on the hotel and convention center portion of the project.

Pollard has said CYTown could bring in $200 million in revenue over 20 years.

More:Report: Iowa public universities' economic impact calculated to be almost $15B a year

Phillip Sitter covers education for the Ames Tribune, including Iowa State University and PreK-12 schools in Ames and elsewhere in Story County. Phillip can be reached via email at [email protected]. He is on Twitter @pslifeisabeauty.