To help the City of Iowa City continue to foster the benefits of its natural areas, students from the Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences conducted two research projects on the ecological services provided by the parks and open spaces in the city. The first project used hedonic pricing to research how the valuation of […]
University: University of Iowa
Parks & Recreational Trail System
To address the lack of trails and poor connectivity in Muscatine, IA, students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Iowa prepared a connectivity study, which included recommendations on trail improvements and expansions. Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner. Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities Contact […]
Transportation Infrastructure Impacts of Frac Sand Mining Industry
To estimate the impacts and maintenance costs of the frac sand mining industry on roads and bridges, transportation engineering faculty and students reviewed literature on similar case studies, evaluated the properties of the materials of pavement materials, and used design software to analyze the impacts of increased truck traffic for Winneshiek County. Read the final […]
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Washington Free Public Library Mural Painting
Through a partnership with Arts Share, Erin Rappleye, a University of Iowa Masters of Fine Arts graduate student, designed a 2-story mural for the Washington Public Library as part of an effort to provide public art in the alleyway and enhance downtown Washington. There was a ribbon cutting for the mural in fall 2015. Read […]
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Columbus Junction Community Storytelling Project
Through a partnership with the City of Columbus Junction, the Columbus Junction, and the Upward Bound afterschool program, this course will explore a planning framework that links community members’ personal connections to their home with future planning and decision-making. Central to the course is a community engagement practicum, in which students will employ storytelling with […]
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DeWitt Referral Center Retail Management Recommendations
Through a graduate assistantship from the Tippie College of Business, an MBA student worked alongside IISC staff to develop recommendations for retail inventory management policies and procedures for the DeWitt Referral Center, a non-profit organization that serves a resource for local families experiencing hardship or crisis. Read the final student report delivered to the local […]
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Leeds/Floyd Boulevard Corridor Study
This project focused on the Leeds Neighborhood, located in northeast Sioux City. The commercial corridor within this neighborhood serves as the northeast entryway into Sioux City. The corridor contains a mixture of small retail stores, restaurants, and service establishments that serve the local neighborhood. As new national brand commercial developments continue to develop to the […]
Boone County Shelter Design at Forney’s Point
The shelter, designed by Civil & Environmental Engineering students, will be located at Forney’s Point in the Don Williams Recreation Area when constructed. The proposed design will add a unique and exclusive area intended for social gatherings to an otherwise underutilized area in the park. In addition to the overlook pavilion, a new roadway and […]
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Boone County Amphitheater Engineering & Design
The natural amphitheater was designed and set in campground C of the Don Williams Recreation Area. The design incorporates the sloping topography of the location and uses native Iowan materials, such as natural stones and oak wood. The amphitheater stage is open with little to zero shade to provide natural lighting to the persons performing […]
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Evaluation and Development iGreenCR Program
The iGreenCR program was developed in late 2011 as a coordinated strategy to promote and brand Cedar Rapids’ sustainability efforts under one program rather than separate departmental initiatives. Students conducted research to evaluate community awareness and willingness to embrace sustainability, as well as their current level of awareness of iGreenCR. A sustainability plan was then […]