Swims Building Renovations Delayed Until Details Refined
A current view of the inside of the Swims Building as it sits ready for the next phase of redevelopment.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The downtown area changed during the overnight of May 11, 2015, when fire broke out in the office area above the Swims Sports and Awards store, just off the southeast corner of the Oskaloosa Square.
The building was heavily damaged and hours away from demolition, when a group of local individuals began work on saving and redeveloping the building.
The Swim family donated the building and money to the ODD (Oskaloosa Downtown Development) group.
The City of Oskaloosa was also approached to provide financial incentives to assist ODD with the demolition, stabilization and redevelopment.
The city provided economic development grants that are payable solely from tax increments generated with the Oskaloosa Amended and Restated Urban Renewal Area.
The two payments would not exceed $500,000, and the measure was ultimately approved by the Oskaloosa City Council.
Clawback options are available to the city if operations cease or if construction obligations are not met.
Currently, the building has been stabilized and a new front facade was installed, along with a new roof. The first floor area was removed, and the basement area is exposed.
The project now sits, ready for the next phase.
What that next phase will entail is still being planned, as the project now looks to include neighboring buildings and their respective owners in developing apartment living above the storefront level.
ODD submitted a request to the city for the amendment to provide additional time to construct the minimum improvements, moving the compliance date from December 31, 2016 to October 1, 2017.
ODD members took the Oskaloosa City Council on a tour of the structure, outlining those future plans for development.
The council approved the ODD request for an extension based upon the progress seen so far with the redevelopment, and to allow the project to work with neighboring structures.
