Land Revitalization Success Stories | tPA #560F19010
August 2019
Planning for Sustainable Brownfield Redevelopment
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - SINCLAIR MEATPACKING SITE REDEVELOPMENT
SITE STATISTICS
•	Community: Cedar Rapids, iowa
•	EPA Region 7 Lead: Charlie Foley, folev.charlie@epa.gov
•	Site and Use: 30-acre former Sinclair Meatpacking plant (operated 1871-1990)
•	Technical Assistance: Site Design
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Figure 7. The Sinclair Meatpacking site
conditions in September 2018.
In 2007, the City of Cedar Rapids purchased the former Sinclair Meatpacking plant that is
located just south of the downtown area. The plant was previously one of the largest employers
in Cedar Rapids. Soon after the City's purchase of the site, a devastating flood of the nearby
Cedar River inundated the heart of Cedar Rapids, including the Sinclair Meatpacking site. The
Iowa Department of Natural Resources used Section 128(a) Brownfields grant funding to assist the City to complete a Phase I site
assessment before taking title of the property, and to assist with a Phase II site assessment to determine soil and groundwater conditions.
Building demolition and environmental cleanup activities removed hazardous materials from the site. Additionally, a portion of the Sinclair
property was used to construct a floodwater levee and detention basin which protects the site from major flood events and provides
stormwater storage capacity.
PROJECT CHALLENGE
The City realized they had an opportunity to pursue permanent
redevelopment opportunities and help connect the site to reinvestment
occuring in the neighboring Czech Village/NewBo district. However,
post-flood recovery efforts left the City with limited resources for site
reuse planning,
HOW EPA HELPED
EPA provided land revitalzation technical assistance support, including:
•	Coordinating a three-day visioning workshop with local city officials
and key stakeholders to develop project redevelopment goals and
objectives,
•	Developing a Redevelopment Plan around a framework of a
walkable, mixed-use neighborhood and included connections to
Czech Village/NewBo district and the Cedar Rapids bike trail.
•	Final technical assistance products included two redevelopment plan
options and a perspective rendering of a central plaza space.
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Figure 8. One of the concept plans for redevelopment planning.
COMMUNITY'S NEXT STEPS
•	Engage the larger community in the review and selection of the final
redevelopment plan for input and support for the next steps.
•	Use the redevelopment plan to identify interested parties for
development projects and future use; identify funding support.
•	Coordinate with all city departments on road alignments and utility and
infrastructure projects,
•	Coordinate with other development projects within the City to target best
reuse options and community needs.
Figure 9. Shared street space concept design.

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