West Union Update – 1/13/09

Accomplishments to Date:

  • Sustainable design principles
  • Streetscape sustainable design concepts
  • Energy audits
  • Energy efficiency grant program
  • Design Charette for rear facades
  • AmeriCorps VISTA position
  • Rain garden/bio-retention cell demo installed
  • Water quality monitoring
  1. Completed Sustainable Design Workshop – June
  2. Establishment of First Principles to guide future development

Collaborative Process

Sustainable Community Investment

Great Setting for Local Business

Healthy Natural Environment

Beauty Crafted into West Union

Vibrant Economy for Northeast Iowa

West Union’s Unique Context

Inspiration through Education

  1. Developed concept for streetscape
  1. Completed of energy audits for 70 West Union businesses – July-August
  2. Partnership with Black Hills Energy, Alliant, West Union businesses
  3. Established an energy efficiency matching grant program to implement audit recommendations – January ‘09
  4. Finished design meeting with Iowa Architectural Foundation to assist businesses with rear façade and access improvements in preparation for streetscape project – Fall
  5. Created AmeriCorps VISTA position, Michelle Zander, funded to assist with greening efforts, county housing trust fund, and Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative – November
  6. Developed water quality monitoring protocol and program to measure impacts of stormwater practices incorporated into streetscape project and surrounding area
  7. Installed demonstration rain garden/bio-retention cell at Woodard Insurance – November/June
  8. Held energy planning meeting to review options for district heating and cooling and snow and ice melt system – September – applied for and received technical assistance from the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, CO
  9. Completed design concepts completed for at least 22 front building facades by the Main Street design staff
  10. IDED provides financial assistance for grant proposal writer.

2009 – Current Status and Upcoming Steps

  1. Streetscape (these steps should help West Union capitalize on any state or fed stimulus programs)
  2. Contract signed by Conservation Design Forum - $198,000 – January 12, 2009

Complete conceptual design, schematic design and most or all of design documents for streetscape project green components integrated with design work of Tekippe

  1. Contract in process with IBC Engineering Services (Waukesha, WI) - $37,000

Complete schematic design and receive contractor estimates for systems

  1. West Union to seek DCA assistance to involve public artists in streetscape design
  1. Energy Efficiency Grant Program
  2. Contract being issued to Main Street West Union - $35,000

Promote state and utility rebate programs and serve as pass through of rebates to Main Street properties making recommended energy audit improvements

Track energy savings resulting from improvements made

  1. IDED will work with West Union to pursue long-term ongoing funding mechanism such as USDA Revolving Loan fund for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects – IDED could provide matching funds of $30,000-$35,000
  1. Water Quality Monitoring
  2. Meeting/met with DNR water quality staff and local experts to review monitoring protocol and process – January 14, 2009
  3. Stormwater Best Practices
  4. Planning to install demonstration porous paver and rain barrel project in West Union in April/May
  5. Downtown Revitalization Fund and Sustainable Community Demonstration Projects
  6. Two new CDBG programs that will provide the flexibility needed to help fund projects like the green demonstration efforts in West Union
  7. Pre-application notice coming out in February/March with first projects funded June 2009
  8. Plan to make available Conservation Corps Iowa to assist West Union with conservation projects
  9. Need a much more concerted effort this year at state and local level to involve the council, citizens, and county

IDED Financial Commitment to West Union (so far – not including staff time) – TOTAL $310,250

  1. Visioning and conceptual design - $31,000
  2. Schematic design and design documents - $198,000
  3. Feasibility analysis and schematic design district heating/cooling and snow/ice melt - $37,000
  4. AmeriCorps VISTA - $7,500
  5. Energy efficiency grants - $35,000
  6. Website - $1,750