Lure4.2017

FROM THE PUBLISHER
Revisiting downtown
It has been a year since we published our inaugural Lure of the City magazine on urban
living in Iowa’s Creative Corridor, and it’s impressive to see just how much progress our
cities have made since then.
Major developments from the Depot in Cedar Rapids’ New Bohemia district to 808 on
Fifth in Coralville are attracting tenants, the long-delayed Chauncey tower in Iowa City is
finally underway, and new concepts proposed in downtown Cedar Rapids promise even
more options in the coming years. Meanwhile, new restaurants, retail shops and cultural
amenities in our core districts are making a truly walkable
existence possible in the Creative Corridor.
This progress is crucial to our future as a competitive,
attractive region, and the main reason behind this publication.
We here at the CBJ have set out to spotlight the best urban
living our region has to offer and celebrate the people who are
working hard to make it happen. At the same time, we hope to
offer a counterpoint to those who say our region does not have
enough to keep young professionals and retiring baby boomers
in our communities.
This year’s publication doubles down on many of the most
popular features from last year’s edition, including glossy
photo essays featuring local spaces, insightful interviews with
developers and a look at emerging interior design trends, as
curated by the Corridor’s leading design talents. We’ve also added a glimpse into a local
developer’s adaptive reuse of the historic Mott Building in Cedar Rapids, and speak with a
national expert on minimalism about “rightsizing” – a goal of many now moving downtown.
We are confident this guide will continue to evolve and grow into an important
resource for those interested in living the city life right here in Eastern Iowa. There are
certainly plenty of developments to cover, and we hope you’ll follow us throughout the
year ahead to keep track of them all.
We are also excited to announce the launch of a spin-off magazine, called Lure of the
Country, which will be published this fall. That concept will take the opposite approach of
this magazine, spotlighting the Corridor’s more rustic and rural living options for those
who gravitate to open spaces, as opposed to open shops.
Whatever your inclination, we invite you to share your images and perspectives on
life in the Corridor through our social media pages. Find us on Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram, and add your voice to the conversation.
APRIL 2017
Chief Executive Officer
& Publisher
John F. Lohman
Vice President
Aspen N. Lohman
Chief Operating Officer
& Associate Publisher
Andrea Rhoades
Editor & Chief Content Officer
Adam Moore
Writers
Chase Castle
Dave DeWitte
Cindy Hadish
Angela Holmes
Ruth Paarmann
Photographers
Emily Bettridge
Brian Draeger
Ben Kaplan
Shuva Rahim
Graphic Design Manager
Becky Lyons
Graphic Designer
Julia Druckmiller
Media Consultants
Kris Lacina
Kelly Meyer
John F. Lohman
Chief Executive Officer & Publisher
Corridor Business Journal
Event Media Consultant
Rhonda Roskos
Marketing & Distribution Manager
Jean Suckow
Event Marketing Coordinator
Ashley Levitt
LUREOF
THE CITY
ON THE COVER
Two years ago, Cedar Rapidians Tom and Cathy Petersen
made the move from Crescent Street to the NewBo district.
Read their perspective and those of three other diverse
urban residents starting on page 6.
Contents are registered to Corridor Media
Group. Reproductions or other use, in whole
or in part, of the contents of the publication
without permission is strictly prohibited.
2345 Landon Road, Ste. 100
North Liberty, IA 52317
319.665.NEWS
www.corridorbusiness.com
Inside:
Featured Faces & Spaces
Enticing Urban Living Options
Developer Profiles
Design & Rightsizing Trends
4 LUREOF THE CITY