Pieces of Parking Garage Collapse

Debris from a collapsed brick wall covers First Avenue East between Second and Third streets this morning, Tuesday, July 8, 2008. Two sections of the wall fell from the First Avenue Ramp around 8:30 p.m. Monday. No one was injured. (Jeff Raasch/The Gazette)

Tools

Pieces of Parking Garage Collapse

By Cassie Huisman, Producer

By Cassie Huisman

CEDAR RAPIDS - Parts of a First Avenue parking garage fell off onto the street Monday night around 8:30. The street is still blocked off Tuesday morning.

One of the panels is also unstable and looks like it could fall off at any time. Police have closed the road between 2nd and 3rd Streets on First Avenue. Cedar Rapids Police say the owners of this parking ramp have been contacted.

Officials are not sure whether the collapse is because of Monday night's severe weather, structural damage or flooding.

Police say it will be cleaned up, but not by them. They don't know when the road will re-open.
View comments

The following comments do not necessarily represent the views of KCRG-TV9. Users have agreed to these terms and in doing so accept full responsibility for their comments. Moderation is limited.

Tuesday, Jul 22 at 7:40 PM Downtown Resident wrote ...

2 years ago I had a complaint with the owners of this privately owned parkade and they blew me off so I called the Cedar Rapids building inspector and told them how there were brick facades bowing outward held in by thin rusty cables and how the floors were severely cracked. The next day, they had the guy from Quizno's patching the cracked flooring and pretty decently for not being a licensed contractor. Pretty scary to think that the powers that be didn't care until it was too late. what next

Thursday, Jul 10 at 11:52 AM The Roosevelt does not need to go wrote ...

I live at the Roosevelt, there are floors for all income ranges, I have enjoyed my 920 sq ft flat. It is so convienent to walk to everything. The Roosevelt is in the process of sale, and has big plans for the future. The Roosevelt is a historic landmark. It survived the flood of '29, '61 '93 and now '08. The parkade however is falling apart and is owned by people who obviously don't care and just want to collect the est. $20,000 per month they make off that building.

Wednesday, Jul 9 at 8:36 PM Wake Up People. wrote ...

My friend knew to get off that stretch of road. Hmmm cops are there so EVERYBODY else should have known too that something bad had happened. Stop blaming the CRPD for everything. They have to bust SCAMMERS like the Fields that steal funds from people that truly need the HELP. Come on people use your brains if you HAVE one. Everybody in Cedar Rapids can't be that stupid. Stop crying and try to realize that their is only so much the CRPD can do. Please give rhe CRPD their dues.

Wednesday, Jul 9 at 9:02 AM idiots wrote ...

I will never understand why humans are constantly in search of something to complain about. Get a life. This system needs to change to a log in system so a KCRG admin can kick the complainers. There is probably a bucket of 100 users who never have anything positive to say (I know this from personal experience as an admin)PLEASE STOP COMMENTING IF WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY IS OF NO USE!!

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 11:27 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Rez, I personally know the city was told of safety issues and have chosen to ignore. They treated the guy the like an idiot who advised them of the hazardous condition of that ramp. So I guess now they are going to say it was the flood and scam for Federal Dollars. But I guess the Feds could be enlightened about this as well. The North side of Roosevelt Hotel looks to also be structurally unsound and the city wants to spend our tax dollars of $700,000 to fix the non-structural interior.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 9:48 PM Roosevelt Rez wrote ...

I live at the Roosevelt, but don't park on the ramp. I'm afraid to. I have freinds who park there and I've seen the rundown condition first hand. The walls and floors are literally crumbling to pieces and you can see the rusty steel cables sticking through that hold it all together. Who inspects these things? Is there a city code that applies to the safety/integrity of these structures? The city needs to condemn this public nuisance before somebody gets killed.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 6:20 PM Brytta wrote ...

The flooding could have made it unsteady.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 6:18 PM To "Use your Brains" wrote ...

yes, most people in Cedar Rapids are that stupid. If you have ever worked retail - especially in the home improvement area, you would know this right away (i think its funny how grown adults ask people out of high school about complex plumbing/electrical/building issues and get mad when they don't know-but thats beside the point). Heck, all you have to do is go and get in your car and drive and you will see ignorance abound.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 4:50 PM Anonymous wrote ...

For the record the Roosevelt is about to fall down anyway, it would be a good thing to have that eyesore out of here. I know for a fact there are parts of the roosevelt are wired together so it doesnt fall because the owner who happen to be a local attorney or used to. He was told repeatedly it needed fixed.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 4:07 PM People are stupid and i can prove it. wrote ...

according to the picture, there is a large amount of debris in the street... Add to the fact that there is a CRPD car with its lights on in the middle of the street (not pictured)... A person with thier brain plugged in would assume that SOMETHING was wrong down there and find an alternate route. "OOH lookie that.. and a cop too.. Lets drive down and see whats goin on.." then they whine about CRPD not securing the area. Bottom line, People are stupid.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 4:06 PM JUDY wrote ...

Yes, the all the bridges were inspected before they were reopened.By the way, that is a private parking garage. All the city owned parking garages were also inspected. Which is why one is not currently slated to be reopened.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 3:37 PM worried wrote ...

sad to say, the next thing to collapse is going to be the bridges downtown! im pretty sure structures as old as them can take much more of a beating than the floods did! Have they even been inspected before they were re opened?

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 2:30 PM Tom wrote ...

I agree that ramp has been falling apart for years, cant believe it hasnt happened before. does anyone inspect these structures?

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 2:29 PM Use Your Brains. wrote ...

My friend knew to get off that stretch of road. Hmmm cops are there so EVERYBODY else should have know too that something bad had happened. Stop blaming the CRPD. They have to bust SCAMMERS like the Fields that steal funds from people that truly need the HELP. Come on people use your brains if you HAVE one. Everybody in Cedar Rapids can't be that stupid. Stop crying and try to realize that their is only so much the CRPD can do. They can NOT protect every IDIOT OUT WALKING AROUND.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 1:38 PM Public Safety wrote ...

When the officer did a U-Turn and went the other way... You would have thought that it was safe to go. First Ave was OPEN at the time. Guess you just had to be there to understand.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 1:19 PM wrt mediawatch wrote ...

Lately there seems to be a plague of people who have the uncontrolable urge to criticize anthing and everything. Makes me wonder why they arent doing those jobs if they know so much about how to do it right. Guess they are endowed with the Gift of Criticism. Chambers defines it as: Gift of Criticism [gift uhv krit-uh-siz-uhm](noun): The ability to inifitely criticize everything, coupled with the inability to do anything useful.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 1:12 PM Anonymous wrote ...

"Public Safety"....those squad cars with the lights on were there for a reason. The cops shouldn't have had to get out and re direct traffic, it's common sense that YOU lacked. "Hmm, squad cars parked in the middle of 1st ave, with their lights on....wonder what that means? oh well, I'll just keep going..." YOU IGNORANT IDIOT!

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 1:12 PM ex-cop wrote ...

Why does it always have to be someone's fault. Love hearing from you people that always want to blame someone like the city or the police. Go ahead...they have large shoulders. Police can't, and in fact have NO DUTY to protect the public from themselves....get a life

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 1:11 PM Anonymous wrote ...

I was in that area last night when the police arrived, and the police did block the road heading east. I don't think you could've gotten around them, or you would've had to try really hard. It was extremely hard to see with the blowing wind and pouring rain. People, use your heads....

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 12:21 PM Yo mediawatch wrote ...

should've watched the 11:00 news maybe they would've satisfied you undying need to know everything. i'm surprised you don't know everything already

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 12:01 PM who cares wrote ...

First off, who really cares who the owners of the parking ramp are??? Second, due to the flooding of downtown there were not many cars in the ramp....Only those people who were down in the area that should not have been I assume. KCRG hasn't covered the complete story because there are still many unknowns. The owners of the business still haven't assessed the situation. Give them time people.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 11:50 AM To MediaWatch wrote ...

I think the story tells all it needs to, stop being so critical. Have you been fired by KCRG or something? We appreciate your proof-reading and input. Here is my input www.corridorcareers.com

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 11:34 AM cr home town by wrote ...

these is just the start of the the down problems. if theres more bad weather what we thought was stable might not be.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 11:30 AM Living Downtown wrote ...

I live at the Roosevelt and park in that parkade. That parkade has been falling apart for the last 4 years I've parked there. I've called city officials but becaue it's owned by lawyers, nothing comes of it. Good thing we aren't able to live downtown right now and have to deal with that. To bad even if and when we can live at home we won't be able to park our cars.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 11:10 AM MediaWatch wrote ...

As usual, pathetic coverage by KCRG. Was the ramp occupied? If so, was an attempt made to vacate it? "Cedar Rapids Police say the owners of this parking ramp have been contacted." Who are the owners? Does KCRG's reporters know how to ask pertinent questions?

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 11:00 AM Downtown going down wrote ...

I fear this is just the beginning of the future problems we will see with the downtown structures. The main concern (as it should have been) has been with homes and I think we are just starting to see that many many many structures downtown will have to be at the very least majorily repaired and worst torn down. I think the city council is very scared to acknowledge this publically for it will be a huge depressive turn of events for the entire city.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 10:50 AM anonymous wrote ...

look people, you have to use your head and some common sense with some of this stuff. I mean this is not a 'normal' situation downtown and the police can't do everything. Avoid the area unless you NEED to be down there, just common sense people, duh!

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 10:39 AM Anonymous wrote ...

good thing..perhaps you should have watched the news...it's a private ramp, not the city's. They also stated that they would pay for the cleanup of this too

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 10:32 AM Anonymous wrote ...

hey good thing, this is 30 to 40 feet in the air, somehow I don't think it's due to the flooding. Also this parking ramp is owned by a private company, not the city. If you would have read the artical it states the the owners have been contacted...back to the common sence thing again

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 9:24 AM To "Public Safety?" wrote ...

Perhaps you and many others need to consider that a police car with lights on trying to block a lane of traffic means don't go that way. Far too many people believe that such a situation just doesn't apply to them. I would say rather than blaming police consider looking at yourself for going somewhere there was ample warning not to go. Take responsibility for your own actions. People like you are what causes more laws to mandate common sense.

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 9:04 AM Good thing wrote ...

Good thing the city inspected everything after the flood before letting anyone back in?? Probably the same for houses that people are trying to move back into. Oh, but all those people wanted back into their wrecked home. Here goes more tax money to fix the cities parking ramp....

Tuesday, Jul 8 at 8:29 AM Public Safety? wrote ...

Last night we were driving on these section of the road, the cops didn't do a very good job of getting the road blocked off right away. We were wondering what was going on but because it was raining the officers did not get out and redirect the traffic, instead we drove right through this with two officers, in two squad cars with there lights on did nothing.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 500 Characters Left

By submitting a comment to this web site, I affirm that I have read, understand, agree to and shall abide by the following rules and regulations as a term and condition of all comments which I may post. As terms and conditions of using this KCRG web site, I agree that I am fully responsible for the contents of all statements which I make. To the best of my knowledge, all such statements are true, fair, and accurate. I shall not post any statements which attack a person’s integrity or moral character, expose a person to public hatred, contempt or ridicule, deprive a person of the benefits of public confidence and social dealings, or injure a person in the maintenance of that person’s business. I shall not knowingly post content that violates the copyright, trademark, patent or other intellectual property right of a third person. I shall not post content that is false, liable, defamatory, obscene, abusive, that violates a person’s right to privacy, that otherwise violates any applicable local, state, national or international law or that is otherwise inappropriate. I acknowledge that if I post a comment which violates this policy that an offended person to whom comments are directed may have a right through judicial process to determine my identity and make a claim against me for damages. I agree that I shall indemnify KCRG, its employees, agents, representatives and affiliates from any and all expenses KCRG may incur as a result of comments I post which violate this policy, claims and/or damages, including but not limited to reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. KCRG is not responsible for the contents posted or anything arising out of the use of the contents or other interaction and has no obligation or duty to monitor or control any posting but does reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove, or edit user generated comment.

I have read and agree to the terms

Hide comments
Athlete of the Week
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
More On Demand

What's On KCRG

7:00
Dancing with the Stars
9:01
Boston Legal
10:00
KCRG-TV9 News at 10
10:35
Two and a Half Men