Mason City looks to add housing on North End in the “Northbridge Site”

MASON CITY – Low income housing might be in the works for a long-defunct area of Mason City’ North End known as Northbridge, as city officials look to land a developer.

According to City documents, City Administrator Aaron Burnett, Deputy City Administrator Brent Hinson, Grants Coordinator Rachel VanHauen, and Development Services Director Steven Van Steenhuyse attended the 2024 Housing Iowa Conference, held in Des Moines on September 3 – 5. The conference opened with a reception honoring Mason City as one of this year’s Iowa Thriving Communities. During the conference, the Mason City delegation met with several housing developers. Because of the Thriving Communities designation, Mason City has become very attractive, especially for projects using either Low Income Housing Tax Credits or Iowa Workforce Housing Tax Credits.

After the conference, on September 17, the City Council authorized release of an RFP (request for proposals) to develop the City-owned site north of Fareway (referred to as the “Northbridge Site” pictured with this story). Several developers have shown interest in the site, city officials claim, and proposals were due October 21.

In anticipation of providing proposals and learning more about Mason City, one developer visited City Hall and toured development sites around the City, and another met with staff via Zoom. Several other meetings were scheduled for early October, city officials claim.

NIT reported on the Northbridge project over the years, as it cost taxpayers handsomely to keep the core of the project – Fareway grocery store – in the downtown area.  The City was on track to pay off all the debt from the saga in 2018.  “The city’s general fund was raided over all these years to pay this development off,” NIT earlier reported.

The addition of newer housing in the area would likely benefit local businesses, including Fareway, as the City looks to potentially remodel Southbridge Mall and new restaurants inside look to stay viable.  However, newer housing would compete with the run-down apartments in the vicinity on North Federal Avenue.  Perhaps some competition would spur some much-needed renovations.  If the efforts of City staff are successful, a developer could be announced at any time for a new project.

Just a few blocks south, dirt has already been turned on a new 4-story, 36-unit structure on Delaware Avenue at the corner of 1st Street NE and North Delaware Avenue, which is currently a public parking lot. As proposed, the building would occupy the eastern third of the lot.

Northbridge development site in Mason City: