Downtown Iowa City Dubuque Street construction is on track to be finished by September
Shoppers and bar-goers can soon rejoice as a prominent downtown project nears completion.
Dubuque Street has been closed between Iowa Ave. and Washington St. since March for road reconstruction and significant work on general infrastructure.
The City of Iowa City anticipated the construction would last six months and crews are expected to wrap by September.
"The sidewalks and the street will be 100 percent done by the end of the month," said Iowa City Senior Civil Engineer Alin Dumachi. "The alley is being pushed back later into the fall season. We are on track to have the street and sidewalk open by the end of the month, minus the plantings and some lights." The Dubuque Street Reconstruction project is just one of 12 projects planned over the following years to help improve the Iowa City corridor.
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What does the Dubuque St. project entail?
Crews have worked to update public infrastructure on the downtown road, including a new 12-inch water main, a new sanitary sewer and storm sewer system, updates to the roadway, significant updates to the pedestrian sidewalks, and new light fixtures. The construction makes Dubuque St. more accessible due to ADA compliance and wider sidewalks. More street parking should be added, as outdoor dining patios will no longer trickle into the road.
The reconstruction project included the alley near Sports Column and Studio 13. When Dubuque St. is finished, pedestrians and road traffic will immediately not have access to the alley, but it should open shortly after. "The alley work has been started, but the alley and the street will not be completed at the same time since all the efforts are focused on Dubuque Street. The alley will be finished later, probably mid-fall," Dumachi said.
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A wide-reaching impact
Businesses along Dubuque St. are ready for the construction to be completed but applaud the city for their open communication. St. Burch Tavern partner and Director of Gold Cap Hospitality, Stephanie Breitbach, admits that construction has caused lighter foot traffic than normal.
"The city has been incredibly helpful, particularly the Iowa City Downtown District," Breitbach said. "They've set up regular meetings with the construction company for updates, helped with signage, organizing advertisements and opportunities for marketing. Overall, they've absolutely helped us make the most of the situation."
Shop local and get rewarded
The Downtown District launched a gift card incentive program to encourage customers to support local Dubuque Street retail shops and restaurants during the final stages of construction. Customers who spend $150 or more at participating Dubuque Street Businesses will receive a $20 ICDD gift card. The program initially was only going to run through Aug. 8, but the Downtown District expanded the deal until Aug. 31.
Receipts from the program's first rendition are still valid.
"We know that construction can be tough on our businesses, so we wanted to extend the gift card program to help encourage customers to keep supporting our amazing local shops and restaurants," the director of marketing for the Iowa City Downtown District, Christopher Hunter, said. "The program has worked well in the past, and has so far worked very well this time around."
To qualify for the gift card, save and submit up to five readable, itemized receipts totaling $150 to $5,000 through the ICDD form. Receipts must show the date, business name, and purchase total. Taxes, tips, delivery fees, and shipping costs are excluded.
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Establishments like Catherine's, Pullman Bar & Diner, Nodo, and Prairie Lights are just a few participating.
Prairie Lights has also held independent deals.
The indie bookseller teamed up with the children's store 233 Baby Co., for a discount exchange. Shoppers can bring a receipt from either store to the other for a 10% discount off one children's item. Additionally, the bookstore is offering a 20% rebate on gift certificates, until Aug. 15.
"You don't open up a small business to get rich; you do it because you love the community, and you love your own business and whatever you are selling," said Jan Weissmiller, owner of Prairie Lights. "It is really hard to undergo a long period of time where you don't have a normal business, so if you love our stores, just give us a little thought right now for the last part of August."
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Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Here's when construction on Iowa City's Dubuque St. will be done
