Project Background

Coe College has grown by more than 20% in full-time student enrollment over the past decade. The college has the highest number of students enrolled and in residence in its 156-year history.

Through strategic planning, it became evident to Coe leaders in the fall of 2005 that preparations should be made with the long-term goal of increasing the physical size of the campus. The resulting Campus Expansion Project was undertaken to accommodate comfortably the needs of the college at its current student population level and in anticipation of possible future needs.

In early 2006, Coe began to purchase houses between 14th Street NE and 15th Street NE along A Avenue NE, B Avenue NE, and C Avenue NE, adjacent to the campus. The college intends to purchase property gradually as it becomes available and as resources permit. Although plans have not been finalized, it is likely that the property will be eventually converted into green space for athletic fields along with some parking. Coe does not have a specific timetable for its development.

Resolution of the Board of Trustees of Coe College
Adopted May 19, 2007

"Coe College has no long-term plans to expand its campus beyond 15th Street NE. As an institution that has been part of the community for more than 150 years, it is difficult for the current Board of Trustees and college administration to predict what Coe might look like 150 years from now. However, Coe leaders believe that, when completed, the campus expansion project will accommodate the space requirements of the college for the foreseeable future."

The following essay was written by Coe President James Phifer and submitted to The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, as a guest editorial on July 2, 2007. The piece was written as a response to an editorial written and published by The Gazette on June 23, 2007, regarding the Coe College Campus Expansion Project. The Gazette declined to publish President Phifer's response. The essay is published below in the interest of continuing transparency regarding Coe's Campus Expansion Project.

Coe's Expansion Project: Reaffirmation of Scope

A year and a half ago, Coe initiated a project to expand the size of the College's campus. From the moment the project began, we committed ourselves to being open and clear about our intentions. Accordingly, we revealed the scope and purpose of the project to audiences large and small, public and private: several stories about it were published in the Gazette, the first appearing on the front page of the Iowa Today section; various meetings, at which we described the project, were held with the leaders and members of the Mound View Neighborhood Association; a description of the project and our progress thereon, continually updated, was made available on our website; a presentation on the entire endeavor was made at a public meeting of the Cedar Rapids City Council; and, more recently, substantially the same presentation was made to the Hiawatha City Council. On every occasion, we carefully rehearsed the same facts and made the same good faith effort to be clear and accurate about our intentions. From the beginning, we have said what we would do; now, we are in the process of doing-and only doing-what we said. Nothing more, nothing less.

Given Coe's documented record of openness and consistency on our expansion plans, it is baffling to all of us on campus when even a single person in the community suggests that additional clarification is needed. Frankly, we do not know how to be any clearer than we have been about our plans, which are the same now as they were 18 months ago. Still, in light of a recent Gazette editorial and a subsequent letter to the editor, I recognize that there are at least a few folks in town anxious for the College to give further assurances regarding the scope of our expansion project. To put their minds at ease, and for the record, allow me to describe once again what Coe is doing. The points listed below constitute official College policy, as approved by Coe's Board of Trustees:

• Coe intends to purchase property between 14th and 15th streets in the blocks between C Avenue (on the north) and the alleyway behind First Avenue (on the south). It is our intention to make 15th Street the east border of the campus. We have no plans, either short or long term, to expand beyond 15th Street.
• When and if the property, or a sufficient portion of it, is acquired, Coe intends to make the area into green space. The main exception to green space will be a small amount of parking, likely placed along the western edge of the site. Our intention is to use the space for intramurals, athletics, and general recreation. We further intend for it to be made available in the summers, on a supervised basis, for use by neighborhood children. Toward these ends, we will seek appropriate zoning changes from the City.

In the near future, a proposed plan for revitalizing the Mound View neighborhood will be submitted to the City by JLG Consultants. It is our understanding that the plan calls for 15th Street to be a firm boundary for the east side of the campus. This recommendation is identical with Coe's plans, and we welcome support for what we intend to do.

James Phifer
President
Coe College

As part of its Campus Expansion Project, Coe College has either acquired the following properties or property purchases are pending:

To view a map of the Campus Expansion Project - click here.