Hubbell gives $75K to bridge preservation project
KENT DARR Aug 19, 2015 | 10:28 pm
1 min read time
262 wordsAll Latest News, Real Estate and DevelopmentHubbell Realty Co. has donated $75,000 to help renovate what is called the Jackson Street Bridge over the Raccoon River.
The historic bridge, which goes by a range of names, including the Green Bridge, was closed to pedestrian traffic in 2013 over concerns about its load-bearing capacity. The pedestrian bridge links the Meredith recreational trail on the north and south sides of the river just west of Principal Park baseball stadium.
An early estimate of nearly $4 million to shore up the bridge led the Des Moines City Council to earmark $750,000 for its demolition. Meredith Corp. funded another study that placed repairs and environmental remediation to trap lead-based paint at about $2.3 million.
The City Council then agreed to shift the $750,000 from a demolition to a preservation earmark, and the state of Iowa approved $500,000. The annual Mayor’s Bike and Run raised an additional $10,000 this year.
Park and Recreation Director Ben Page said the Hubbell donation has moved fundraising efforts to within $15,000 of the goal. He has said he hopes the rehabilitation of the bridge would be underway next year. Read another Business Record article about the fundraising effort here.
Hubbell announced the donation in a news release about the groundbreaking of its 5Fifty5 townhome project, which is located along the Meredith Trail and near the bridge.
The closing has blocked a key connector from Principal Park to Gray’s Lake.
A committee of prominent business and city officials has led efforts to raise funds for the restoration. The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines holds the account for donations.
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