Municipal Green Streets Pilot Project in Iowa Wins Best Development Award

Words: Bronzella Cleveland

Innovative green infrastructure project by Conservation Design Forum recognized in annual building awards program.

Iowa Green Streets ProjectDemonstrating an environmentally-conscious approach to community redevelopment, a completed "green" streetscape design in the city of West Union, Iowa has won the annual Best Development Award for 2014. The award is given by the 1000 Friends of Iowa, a statewide nonprofit organization focused on promoting responsible land use in community, state, and federal development decisions.

Conservation Design Forum (CDF), the lead designers on the project, worked with the Iowa Department of Economic Development, local government officials, community organizations, and residents to formulate a new vision for West Union's downtown district. The new streetscape concepts designed by CDF employed measures to boost walkability, enhance traffic safety at intersections, encourage bike traffic, increase planting areas, capture and treat rainwater, provide new activity areas and seating, upgrade infrastructure, and create a plaza on the courthouse lawn for public events. In addition, an innovative district-wide geothermal heating and cooling system was installed for the entire downtown area with 200 wells located under the courthouse lawn.

Green innovations, such as porous paving for streets and sidewalks, combined with 36,000 square feet of rain gardens aim to capture and retain 95 percent of stormwater that falls within the downtown district, relieving the burden on the municipal storm sewer system and detaining urban pollutants from reaching streams and other waterways.

In addition to the streetscape project, which was completed in 2013, the city recently completed the renovation of 10 historic building facades within the downtown area, and added 12 new, second-floor affordable housing units in three historic buildings in 2014.

"We appreciate West Union being recognized by 1000 Friends of Iowa and hope what we have done in our community is a model for other towns in Iowa," said West Union City Administrator Teresa Ruroden.

Iowa Green Streets amphitheaterThe West Union "Green Streets" Pilot Project, which began in 2008, was funded through a partnership of local, state, and federal agencies. It now serves as a sustainability-focused redevelopment model for towns and cities across the Midwest looking to resolve issues of aging infrastructure while at the same time revitalizing their downtown business districts.

1000 Friends of Iowa selected the West Union project for the 2014 Best Development Award in the "Renovated Commercial/Civic" category. The innovative streetscape, designed by Conservation Design Forum, also was recognized with a 2014 Unilock Award of Excellence in Design for "Best Permeable Streetscape.” To see images and plans for West Union project, go to:  http://www.cdfinc.com/Project?project_id=136

West Front Porch and the Theatre at the Grand Hotel

Chairman’s Message: SELF TALK
July 2025

My wife, Sheryl, listens to podcasts often. Sometimes she uses earbuds but also listens through her cellphone speaker as she does countless other things around the house. As a result, very often I have no choice but to listen to the podcasts along with he

Outreach Outlook: Momentum in Motion
July 2025

As we move into the heart of summer, the masonry industry continues to thrive—fueled by innovation, partnership, and a growing commitment to excellence in education and workforce advancement. June has been a remarkable month, marked by events that not onl

Building More: Slow, Fast, or Consistent. What is Tempo?
July 2025

It was a drizzly midweek day when I rolled up to the project we were working on just outside of town. The foreman paced the scaffolding, rain hood half-zipped, barking at two laborers who were sprinting bricks like they were late for a flight. Forty feet

Marvelous Masonry: Belém Tower
July 2025

The Belém Tower in Lisbon, Portugal, stands as a testament to stone construction's enduring artistry and technical prowess. Erected between 1514 and 1519, this iconic structure served as a defensive bastion at the mouth of the Tagus River and as a ceremon