In 2019, jurors recognized “development heroes” across 9 categories from 13 communities across the state of Iowa for Best Development Awards. Award recipients are selected from a pool of nominations each year by diverse group of jurors. This year’s panel included Pat Boddy, Sustainability Strategist at RDG Planning and Design; Megan Down, Project Manager at Impact7G; Jeff Geerts, Special Projects Manager with the Community Development Division of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and co-owner of Millennium HRM Press; Jeff Hanson, Community Development Operations Manager with the City of Sioux City, and Ulrike Passe, Associate Professor at Iowa State University and Director for the Center for Building Energy Research.

Our nominees appreciated that the Best Development Program recognizes projects from communities of all sizes. Our goal is to inspire people in the state to make sustainable choices to improve quality of life in their community and connect them with their legislators at the award ceremony to show how policy affects every day lives.

Click on each project and development hero to learn more.

• New Civic: Greenest Church in Iowa, Unitarian Universalist Society, Coralville
  
• Renovated Civic: Grinnell Central Park, Grinnell
• Renovated Commercial: Textile Brewing Company, Dyersville
• Innovative Leadership: Solarize Johnson County 2018, Johnson County
• Mixed Use (tie): Lee County Bank and Cattermole Library, Fort Madison
• Mixed Use (tie): Mason Building Renovation, Stanton
• Renewable Energy: Knoxville Community School District, Knoxville
• New Residential, Multi-family Rental: Altoona Towers, Altoona
• New Residential, Owner-Occupied: Prairie Hill Cohousing, Iowa City
• Renovated Residential: Naval Station, Davenport
• Stormwater Management, Private: Gallery Garden
• Stormwater Management, Public: City of Readlyn
• Urban Placemaking/Greenspace: Larry Schlue Memorial Sound Park, Belle Plaine