Iowa City Issues Statement on Red Avocado Relocation

Fans of the Red Avocado vegetarian restaurant and Defunct Books used bookstore (and their current location) didn't get the news they wanted this morning.

The Iowa City city staff issued a press release indicating that there is little they can do legally to block the forced relocation of Red Avocado and Defunct Books from their current location at 521 E. Washington Street. The property is one of three owned by Allen Homes Inc. set to be demolished to make space for a multipurpose apartment building.

(City Planner Bob) Miklo stated that Allen Homes' plan adheres to current CB-2 zoning regulations for the area, which allows a mixed use building with commercial space on the ground level and up to three floors of residential apartments above. Because the project meets current zoning guidelines, the City has limited discretion regarding the proposal, Miklo said, although he emphasized that staff would review all plans for the new building to ensure it complies with current zoning and building codes.

Tara Bannow of the Iowa City Press-Citizen spoke with one owner of the Red Avocado, who seems resigned to his fate.

“I’ve kind of gone through the grief, I’m just looking for opportunities now,” said Dave Burt, the owner of the Red Avocado.

Burt told the Gazette that it is unlikely that the Red Avocado will be able to remain open due to the challenges of relocating in such a short time frame.

Speaking of opportunities, the city release indicated that they are looking at providing the two businesses with relocation benefits to help with the move.

The release said Allen Homes had offered the Red Avocodo the opportunity to have a space in the new building plus assistance with relocation. However, a post on the Red Avocado's Facebook Page disputed this information:

Just for the record: Allen Homes Inc did not offer us a spot at the last meeting we had, though I'm sure they would take a 12 yr business's money if they could and we choose to twiddle our thumbs for a few months while interest accrues etc. "Assistance" is no more than showing us what's available for rent

This was a statement by Defunct Books on its Facebook Page:

We are still buying books and operating normally (as normally as we usually do anyway). Thank you for all the kind words and commiseration. Also, if you are ApartmentsDowntown, please stop calling. We're against the whole cookie cutter building development thing. And if you really want to stick it to "The Man," buy a book. That would help infinitely more than anything else, plus might give you something to escape into when the whole town looks like everywhere else.

These latest developments, although perhaps not necessarily the last word, will no doubt come as a disappointment to petitioners who oppose the development. As of Thursday afternoon, nearly 3,000 people had signed this online petition.

Here is a statement from that petition:

We, the undersigned Red Avocado patrons and supporters, OPPOSE the demolition of 521 E Washington and neighboring buildings. The proposed new development building’s size, height, and residential density are incompatible with the residential character of the neighborhood.

Furthermore, the period of notice given to the existing businesses in the building is not acceptable, since a mere thirty days' notice was given immediately prior to a three-day holiday weekend, effectively shortening the time allowed for those businesses to pursue alternative options. Alternative options, in turn, are severely limited due to development projects elsewhere in the city that have rendered potential retail spaces unusable for these businesses or too expensive to consider.