(ORANGE CITY, IA) Orange City voters are set to decide on the Phoenix Project. If the bond issue passes, the future of Orange City could rise from the ashes of its past.
The Hawkeye Hotel burned down last summer, leaving a gaping hole downtown. The community rallied to rebuild and those plans quickly grew into the Phoenix Project. Now its future depends on a stamp of approval.
The Phoenix Project is at a crossroads: it needs voters to approve a $4.5 million bond issue.
"Just passing the bond issue doesn't necessarily mean that they'll happen," says Daryl Beltman, Orange City Mayor.
Project leaders are confident the measure will pass, thanks to public support.
"In fact we've moved the timeline up from what we expected to be March to a November vote at the encouragement of the community through our community meetings this summer," says Marty Guthmiller, Phoenix Project Task Force Chair.
"We feel very good that we've informed them, we've tried to let them know all the advantages and also let them know that there's a cost for not doing anything," says Mayor Beltman.
The Phoenix Project has three parts:
1. The $2.5 million Hawkeye Center would replace the burned down hotel with retail space and condos.
2. "The Events Center is a little larger project, about 20,000 square feet. It's going to be about a $3.5 million project," says Guthmiller.
3. A $750,000 grant would help build a new Performing Arts Center at Unity Christian.
"And the impact to the average tax payer in Orange City is $110 per year or approximately $10 per month," says Guthmiller.
60% of voters must say yes for the bond issue to pass. Even then, construction wouldn't begin until after the next Tulip Festival.
"We've identified what our heritage is, we celebrate it every spring, and we're trying to build on that and make Orange City truly a destination," says Mayor Beltman.
"We all live here, we all work here and we're all benefited by success," says Guthmiller.
The Phoenix Project isn't the only measure Orange City will decide on Tuesday. Voters will elect a new mayor, two city council members, and three hospital trustees. Mayor Beltman will retire at the end of the year.
Reported by Erika Thomas. You can contact her at ethomas@kmeg.com.
