They Got The Land!

This almost slipped through my radar while the Missus, the Cigarillo and I were on a mini-vacay to Des Moines last week, but the Iowa City School Board authorized three more land purchases- two for new elementary schools and one for the third high school.

And judging by the description of where the new schools are going to be, the School Board has made smart choices in positioning schools exactly where you'd expect development to flow.  The third high school and a new elementary school are going to be located more or less north of Coralville but east of North Liberty.  (More specifically, if you want to get all Google Maps about it, the new high school at the NE corner of Dubuque and North Liberty Road and the new elementary somewhere off North Liberty Road.)  This makes sense-  North Liberty is growing like a weed and Coralville right along with it.  The new schools are going to spur development east and north of their respective towns.

The other two elementary schools are more interesting.  I sort of blinked a little when the school board finalized a land purchase for 15 acres just north of Pleasant Valley Golf Course on Sycamore Street but the more I thought about it, the more that made sense too.  There more development emerging in that area as well--  especially with the new Terry Trueblood Recreation Area opening up out there.  The only thing I question is the relative proximity of the new school to Grant Wood.  Much debate has been had over the attempts by the district to achieve a socio-economic balance in all their schools- you would hope that with new development and a new school, the neighborhoods around Grant Wood might see some benefits from that but it all depends on how they draw the boundaries I suppose.

The other elementary is also interesting:  a site along American Legion Road.   I would not have called that at all-  I was thinking they'd go more northwards, like maybe out by the new St. Patrick's Church but again, the more I think about it, the more that makes sense too.   If anything continues to surprise me (still) after moving back to Iowa City from Minnesota, it's how fast the city has expanded to the east of Scott Boulevard.  (A random fact that makes me feel old:  I remember when Scott Boulevard was the end of town.  Period.  Like nothing but corn and soybeans until you hit West Branch.)  If memory serves me, somewhere on the City of Iowa City website, you'll find plans for the Towncrest redevelopment, some of which also includes the City's plans for development south of American Legion out to Taft Avenue.  (There are a freaskish amount of bike trails already in those neighborhoods as well.  Think I turned what's usually about a 4 mile ride into a 7 mile one last week with a little judicious exploration.)

All in all, I feel like they've made good moves.  I still think hard questions need to be asked about the necessity (or lack thereof) of closing Hoover Elementary but if the School Board Elections (September 10th, people!  Remember to vote!) bring in some new faces to the board, those questions could be answered to the satisfaction of most of the community, I think.