Tech Corridor Activity Center

Here are the most recent economic development projects in the region, major community projects as well as projects within the educational community, such as the University of Iowa.

JET Engineering

JET Engineering has opened a new facility in Cedar Rapids.  The company specializes in electronics, software and mechanical systems.  The plan to hire 26 employees.

Marion Enterprise Center

The Marion Economic Development Company has broken ground on the 184 acre Marion Enterprise Center.  The new industrial park is located along Highway 151 next to the Marion airport.

Skills 2014

Kirkwood Community College will be administering a survey of about 300 Tech Corridor employers in the first quarter of 2011 for an assessment of employers’ skills and employment needs. Skills 2014, a follow up to the Skills 2006 and Skills 2010 surveys, will be released in a community report in April.

Go Daddy

Go Daddy, the world’s largest Web-hosting and domain name registrar, is expanding its office in Hiawatha.  Go Daddy plans to add a total of 500-700 employees over the next five years.

Eastern Iowa Airport

A runway reconstruction project is underway at The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) for the largest single-season construction undertaking in the airport's 63-year history.  The 8,600-foot-long runway closed this week for the $21.8 million project. It is expected to reopen in September. 

Whirlpool

Whirlpool Corporation’s Amana Division, a leading producer of refrigerators and the only manufacturer of the freestanding freezer-on-the-bottom configuration of refrigerators in the United States, announced plans for a $20 million dollar investment in its facility in Amana, Iowa, bringing a new ice maker line and 60 jobs.

Quality Associates

Quality Associates, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, has opened a 245,000 square foot packaging facility in Iowa City's Scott Six Industrial Park. The focus of the new facility will be to provide functional, cost-competitive packing for retail consumer packaged goods.

UIHC

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics have received Iowa State Board of Regents approval on a five-story, 150,000 square foot, $73 million outpatient clinic in Coralville.

EdLink

EdLink, a Chicago-based company specializing in tuition assistance management, has opened its new facility in Coralville.  EdLink expects to process $200 million in education funds over the next year.

Coralville Arts Center

The $10 million Coralville Center for the Performing Arts will be a community space owned and operated by the City of Coralville, scheduled to open spring 2011. The 518-seat theater will offer 330 seats on the main floor and 188 in the balcony, providing a fully accessible, flexible space for a variety of events in the greater Johnson County area.
 

Cedar Rapids Downtown Development

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced $38 million in U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants for Cedar Rapids to help the region rebound economically from the 2008 floods. The investment includes $35 million to the city of Cedar Rapids to assist with the construction of the new downtown events center and $3 million to the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce to build the Regional Commerce Center and Small Business Incubator.

RuffaloCODY

RuffaloCODY, the leading provider of strategic fundraising and enrollment management services, plans to add a new office location in Cedar Rapids.  The new office will be located in an existing building at 845 Capital Drive SW Cedar Rapids and will create 43 new jobs with an average annual salary of $45,000 plus full benefits.

Genencor

Genencor International, a division of Danisco, marked the grand opening of its $4.4 million grain-processing applied innovation center next to its bioproducts plant at 1000 41st Avenue Dr. SW Cedar Rapids.  The 20,000-square-foot lab, which will employ 22 scientists, will work with customers to develop new products and refine manufacturing processes.

PC of Iowa

Physicians Clinic of Iowa intends to build a $40 million downtown medical mall and participate with Mercy Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital in development of a medical district in Cedar Rapids.