The City continues with good numbers for the 2008 construction season. Last year's $181 million record-breaking season, helped in large part by the Isle of Capri Casino, was the 4th straight record-breaking year and 4th straight year over $100 million. This year, all areas seem strong with new construction underway or planned:

Logan Plaza - Allen Hospital underway with $47 million expansion project. Walgreens under construction with new $1.7 million pharmacy building. Menards signed Development Agreement for a new store in spring of 2009. Dr. Sundaram plans new medical office park just east of Logan Plaza center. Logan Plaza Center and Highway 63 Community Economic Development Organization receive $781,000 grant for renovations and job creation at site. The $15 million Highway 63 plan continues its design work for redevelopment of the Highway 63 Corridor.

Northeast - LS Power continues to work through State permitting process for a $1.3 billion power plant.

MidPort area - Con Agra finished up $42 million, 200,000 sq. ft. expansion bring 50 new jobs to area. Advanced Heat Treat invests in their Burton Avenue site with a $2 million expansion. Accurate Gear, also on Burton Avenue, adds a $300,000 expansion project. Criterion, again on Burton Avenue, doubles in size with a $155,000 expansion. Action Garage builds a new site on Wagner Road for a $148,000 project.

Rath - the City continues to work with Crystal Distribution in this area. Demolition of the former Rath Maintenance and Cooper Buildings will soon be underway, allowing Crystal to expand again. Mako Corporation is working on a $ 1 million renovation of the former Rath Administration Building.

Downtown Waterloo - new businesses opening up for offices, entertainment, amidst the Riverfront Renaissance. The river walk is completed from East 6th to East 18th Street. The dam work is underway to add 4' of navigable water. Screaming Eagle restaurant under construction, HQAA opening office space and adding up to 40 new employees. CU Restaurant, Jameson's, Bank Iowa, shore up a great block for entertainment. The Phelps Youth Pavilion and Grout Museum expansions also work to bring family entertainment back to Downtown Waterloo.

Tech Works - work continues on the Tech Works site with NABL signing as the first tenant. The Commercial Street extension will be forthcoming this construction season to create a new entrance into Downtown Waterloo.

San Marnan - with the new Ansborough Interchange comes development: the 40,000 sq. ft., $4.5 million VGM expansion is complete, the Country Club Business Center is working with three new buildings: a new $1.5 million Liberty Bank, $1.7 million Financial Resource Advisors doubling in size in a new building, and a new 40,000 sq. ft. Grainger office expanding in employment and office space as well. This comes on the heels of Cedar Valley Imaging doubling in size last year with a $2.4 million expansion, a new $571,000 Popeye's restaurant built, a new $180,000 Iron Horse coffee shop, with a Sonic restaurant on the way.

Crossroads - the hotels keep coming, following the $80 million investment of the Isle of Capri south of the Crossroads area, a new $3.1 million Holiday Inn Express is under construction, the $2.7 million Candlewood Suites is now open next to last year's $3.5 million Hampton Inn construction. A new $1.0 million Advanced Auto retail strip center also finished construction, with a new $460,000 Christian Bookstore freestanding store nearby.

Brownfields - the City of Waterloo continues to work on Brownfields areas in our community, with federal and state grants secured for cleanup of the former Construction Machinery Company site, as well as the former Chamberlain Manufacturing site.

Martin Road/Ridgeway area - the $6 million Mauer Eye Clinic and Spa is under construction. The City of Waterloo worked with private developer Deer Creek Development for the construction of a new RISE funded road. United Medical Park has begun construction on their new $2.0 million oncology building. Fahr Beverage is underway with a $1.8 million expansion of both warehousing and office space. Craig Ceilley and Jeff Stickfort, local developers, continue their multiple contractor building development with another $137,000 building after an initial $354,000 building. MidCountry Machinery & Supply completed a $134,000 redevelopment of an existing building in this same vicinity. Turnkey & Associates has also announced their plans for a new office building in the area near Mauer.

Enterprise Zone - the City is working to expand its Enterprise Zone, which allows for additional incentives for both housing and business new construction and expansion.