The portion of East 8th Street adjoining the Cedar River was part of the city’s first plat filed in 1854. A long-term lack of reinvestment significantly deteriorated the remaining housing stock in one of Waterloo’s oldest neighborhoods. The encroachment of marginal uses further threatened its stability. The City of Waterloo aggressively purchased and demolished numerous dilapidated homes and acquired vacant lots in an effort to attract potential investors, developers, and future residents.
Project Funding Sources
$1,000,000 (Area will receives a portion of the funding)
Iowa Economic Development Authority
Single-Family New Construction Unit Production Program
Project Timeline
10.2004
Construction began on the first home located at 213 East 8th Street.
10.2005
City approved a development agreement with Cedar Valley Restoration and Development to construct four more homes.
08.2012 | ARTICLE
City received $1 million to encourage private developers to continue building affordable homes.
12.2012 | ARTICLE
New home construction continued at a rapid pace.
03.2014 | ARTICLE
In-fill housing options soar along East 8th Street and Lafayette Streets.
Project Success Story
Private developers have constructed seven new owner-occupied homes in the 200-block of East 8th Street since 2004. The infill units represent the first housing construction in the neighborhood for decades. All of the homes are site-built and some are even consistent with the historic architectural style of the surrounding mixed-use neighborhood. Their location near downtown offers an array of opportunities for home buyers such as the new Riverwalk Trail system and numerous shops and restaurants within walking-distance in the community’s central business district. Additional units are currently being constructed along Lafayette Street.