All posts in “College Hill”

The Hill High Point

College Hill Partnership Update

March 2022

As we draw close to the 2022 annual meeting, we thought we should send out an update of the past year.

In 2022 the College Hill Partnership has worked on many projects that align with our mission. “College Hill Partnership (CHP) is a non-profit organization that serves as the leader in revitalization and promotion of the College Hill area, an urban neighborhood community. The scope of its mission includes promoting healthy neighborhood businesses and housing enhancement; strengthening collaboration and pride; developing public/private partnerships; and serving as an advocate for addressing area concerns.”

To name a few, we have worked closely with city staff to ensure the word got out about the College Hill Vision Plan and the data that was collected from the public, including many of you. We hope that the Imagine Hill Vision Plan will lead to meaningful zoning code changes. These changes will allow the Hill to provide a wide range of housing options, including the missing middle housing Cedar Falls so desperately needs and growth in our business district to improve the economic vibrancy of the Hill. In addition to new housing and business opportunities, the upcoming zoning code changes will continue to value the historical nature of our neighborhood district and work to stabilize the mix of owner-occupied homes and rental homes in our neighborhood.

This year we have also welcomed many new members to our board, including Hannah Crisman, Frank Darrah, Sam Blatt, and Angela Johnson. We look forward to their continued involvement in the CHP and the elections at the annual meeting to include additional new board members.

Throughout the year, as always, we co-hosted several College Hill clean-ups. We worked collaboratively with Green Iowa Americorps, Threehouse Collaborative Miseries, UNI NOW, and the City of Cedar Falls to successfully clean the Hill. Clean-ups help us care for the Hill during the high traffic times, including the start and end of school and holidays like Halloween. In addition to clean-ups, the College Hill Partnership, with the help of an economic development grant from the City of Cedar Falls, can hire a very part-time staff member to help clean and care for the Hill. Trevor Smith has been a loyal employee doing his best to help us keep the Hill tidied and collaborates with our beautification committee to work to keep the Hill watered and weeded.

Over the last few months, the CHP has used several new committees to push forward some of the initiatives from the CHP Board. For example, our “Light Up College Hill” committee has been doing a lot of research to bring an iconic public light display to the Hill. We know the importance of placemaking for a cohesive district, and the CHP Board believes that lighting could be a natural step forward to creating a welcoming entertainment district.

Our Seerley Park commitee received the great news that the City of Cedar Falls has committed to a $300,000 project to revitalize and renew the park. This committee is committed to improving the park’s aesthetics, working towards better accessibility of the park, and ensuring the historical elements of the neighborhood and park are kept. The committee is looking forward to raising funds to improve the park soon.

Our communication committee jump started a new program called Saturdays in Seerley which the CHP hosted neighbors in Seerley Park for free coffee and breakfast sweets. As a result, we were able to bring neighbors together, have conversations about the neighborhood, talk with elected officials, and discuss potential park improvements.

Some other highlights of 2021-2022 have been:

Adding new tables to Pettersen Plaza thanks to the Friends of Pettersen Plaza and the Community Betterment Grant awarded to the CHP by the Cedar Falls Tourism and Travel Bureau
The first Illuminate Light Festival co-hosted with Dana Potter’s University class
UNI Homecoming Window Painting
2022 Named the Year of College Hill by Mayor Rob Green

Proclamation naming 2022 the year of College Hill

We are looking forward to a great new 2022-2023 year, where we plan to host many more events and continue to work towards a more inviting and revitalized College Hill District. Some upcoming events include:

CHP Annual Meeting April 9th, 6pm at Octopus (Learn More HERE)
Neighborhood Garage Sale April 30th, 9am-3pm (Learn More HERE)
Start of College Hill Farmers Market in the middle of May (Learn More HERE)
Saturdays in Seerley, join us for the first one, May 14th
or all the upcoming College Hill events check out the CHP Calendar of Events

Other things to watch out for in 2022-2023:

Parking lot improvements in the College Hill Business District
Invitation to share your time, talents, and treasures to support Seerley Park Improvements
Announcement about the College Hill Arts Festival
Additional improvements to Pettersen Plaza

We hope you will join us soon at one of our events or join in the fun of service by giving your time and talents to one of our committees or fundraising efforts.

March 24, 2022 / Comments Off 2294

Mohair Pear’s Pear Fair #10

Pear Fair #10 is headed back to the Hill. Mohair Pear started the annual event in the spring of 2010. They felt hosting an outdoor fair was a great way to showcase local and regional artists to the customers directly. Each year the event has been an outdoor indie fair that bring hand made items to College Hill in Cedar Falls.

We are excited to see you on the Hill for Pear Fair on Saturday, September 25th, from 11:00am to 5:00pm. Weekend parking on the Hill is always free to head up and make it a day on the Hill with your favorite beverages and food from any of the College Hill businesses while you enjoy all the amazing art at Pear Fair.

Pear Fair is located in the parking lot on the corner of West 22nd and College Streets. Come visit vendors like: Wild Sky Studio, Mama Mage, Tena & State, and Arctic Summer. La Calle will also be back on the Hill during the event.

For more information head to http://thepearfair.com/. Or check them out on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thepearfair/.

September 23, 2021 / Comments Off 2127

Flash from the Past: The Hill High Point

College Hill Partnership First Newsletter from 2009

Check out the the newsletter from 2009 with notes from the President, Dave Deibler, CHP Coordinator and UNI student Adam Bentley and more.

“College Hill has changed dramatically since I first encountered it. People shop differently then they did back then. This has affected the businesses located on College and 23rd Streets and retail areas like it all around the country. On the residential side, increased student population has changed the face of neighborhoods through out the College Hill overlay. What will the next thirty five years bring? We cannot be sure, but I feel that it is full of promise. We have a unique opportunity, now more than ever, to shape what College Hill is and what it will become. I strongly believe that the Streetscape construction project mounted by the city of Cedar Falls is the start of a new era for all of us who live, work and play on the Hill.

So, how does the College Hill Partnership fit into all of this? Most importantly, I think, is the fact that we are the first organization to really try and manage and consider College Hill as a whole. Retail and residential as one. We are also locating grants and other funding opportunities that can benefit this area. The CHP is looking to sponsor and stage educational and artistic events through out College Hill (including Seerley Park and our new pocket park). We are working hard to improve communication between students, land lords, businesses, families and anyone having a presence on College Hill.” Dave Deibler, 2009.

2009 was also the year of the College Hill Streetscape. You will find details about the project in the Newsletter below.

To Read Whole The Newsletter Click >Download

March 16, 2021 / Comments Off 1154

Holiday Gift Guide: “the Panther Fan”

“the Panther Fan”

We know this year has been complicated (to say the least, am I right?), so we wanted to try to help you complete your holiday shopping. We are hoping to share each week some great gift ideas you can pick up, or order online (or by phone), all while support local businesses.

This week we are helping you get gifts for “the Panther Fan” in your life.

1. Every Panther Fan needs a great start to game day (or any for that matter) and who doesn’t love a donut or a dozen from Icon Donuts & Sweetery? Check out their new website here to order online, or pick up on the Hill. You can also swing by and pick up a gift card for your favorite Panther Fan so they can enjoy donuts & sweets any time they want.

2. This cute cozy hat is a Arctic Summer Handmade Goods design which can be found at Mohair Pear. Mohair Pear carries a whole variety of winter weather gear. Winter hats starting at $10. This purple color is perfect for your Panther.

3. This cute Panther ornament is the perfect gift for any Panther Fan young or younger. You can find a variety of décor for the holidays at University of Northern Iowa Bookstore. Ornaments starting at $11.99.

4. Does your Panther Fan love vintage? Our friends at PRICE CHECK KICKS have you covered. This awesome hat is a blast from the past. They are always getting tons of vintage UNI gear in and have an awesome everchanging selection. Hats starting at $20.

https://www.instagram.com/pricecheckkicks/

5. Not sure what to get your Panther Fan? We can help with that too. We offer College Hill Gift Certificates. They can be purchased at Copyworks – Cedar Falls (by cash or check) in increments of $20. Gift Certificates can be used at most College Hill Businesses. (See link in details for more information.)

https://www.collegehillpartnership.org/collegehillgiftcertificates/

6. All Panther Fans need a bit of extra energy every now and again. A gift card, mug, or coffee beans from Sidecar Coffee will be the perfect gift for any Panther that loves coffee or just needs a little pick me up from time to time.

We hope you enjoyed these gift ideas for “the Panther Fan” in your life. Stay tuned for our next gift guide, and we hope you will #HeadtotheHill to do some of your holiday shopping.

November 23, 2020 / Comments Off 1372

OUR CEDAR FALLS IMAGINE COLLEGE HILL – Virtual Design Charrette Oct 3rd-8th

We hope you will join us for Imagine College Hill Charrette Week Oct 3rd – 8th.

What is the Virtual Design Charrette?

A virtual community design charrette focuses on the College Hill area and surrounding neighborhoods. Events will take place on-line, beginning with a Hands-On Visioning session on Saturday morning and wrapping-up with a Work-in Progress presentation the following week.

There will be several other opportunities for public involvement via the web, including daily studio updates, topical presentations, questions and surveys, and opportunities to virtually “drop-in” to the studio to talk with members of the design team. All are encouraged to participate. This effort will lead to a new College Hill Vision Plan, followed by updates to the zoning code for the area.

How Do I Participate?

Check https://ourcedarfalls.com/ for more details and the weblink for each virtual activity.

Important Dates:

October 3: 9:00 am – 11:00 am. The week will start with a virtual Hands-on Community Design Workshop on Saturday morning. Participate from the comfort of your own home (or any other location you choose with an internet connection!) City residents will gather virtually to share their ideas about the future of College Hill. The workshop will include on-line facilitated small group discussions. People will share their aspirations for the future — using words and images to discuss topics like urban design; walkability; character and scale of new buildings; areas for change; and areas for protection. Facebook EVENT – With Zoom Information
October 5: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm; October 7, Noon – 1:00 pm. Virtual Design Studio. “Drop” by at scheduled times to chat with the design team!! The design team will work remotely all week, building on the ideas from the Hands-On Community Design Workshop, exploring and testing options, getting feedback, and creating drawings and visualizations to help us imagine the future of College Hill and surrounding neighborhoods. The studio will be “open” at several times during the week and you are welcome to “stop by” and ask questions about the teams work. October 5th Facebook Event – With Zoom Information, October 7th Facebook Event – With Zoom Information
October 14: 5:30 pm. Wednesday evening, Charrette Week activities will conclude with a “Work-in-Progress” presentation during the Planning Commission meeting. The design team will share the preliminary work on the College Hill Vision Plan. Facebook Event- With Zoom Information

Why is this important?

Because you want…

a vibrant neighborhood center that provides a wide variety of goods, services, and activities for students and the larger community;
the edges of College Hill to transition to your neighborhoods in a positive way;
walkable neighborhoods with a variety of housing types for people of all ages;
your children to inherit a Cedar Falls that is a great place to live, work, and play;
a community that is designed to manage the growth pressures of today and tomorrow,
a chance to express your opinions on College Hill and future developments.

We hope you will join us for this exciting event to help shape the future of College Hill. Again, for more details head over to https://ourcedarfalls.com/. And if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us at collegehillpartnership@gmail.com.

September 29, 2020 / 1 9316

College Hill Farmers Market Vendor Spotlight

Yellow Table Farm – Tripoli, Iowa

Eric and Courtney Jensen

Eric & Courtney Jensen own Yellow Table Farm in Tripoli. They sell fresh produce, eggs, and lamb. They got started by growing small gardens in the backyard. The gardens kept getting bigger until they found an acreage for sale. They jumped in with both feet and started learning and growing as they went along! This last year they installed a greenhouse which means more produce and earlier in the season! What do they like to do when they are not at the farmers market or working on the farm? Bicycling, shooting bow, hiking, and enjoying family time.

Bowls of Love

Bowls of Love Christy Stolz & Abigail Stolz (Mother & Daughter) own Bowls of Love! Three years into business they are happy to be joining the market! Abi had the idea while at UNI to start a small Farmers Market business. Her goal was to provide an avenue to assist small charities in our community. Abi bought herself a fancy blender, started working on recipes & applied to the CF Farmers Market. In the first two years of business, Bowls of Love has grown into a food truck & donated $5,500 to local charities.

Upcoming Markets Every Thursday June- October 4-6pm
New this season–Curbside Market.
Follow on Facebook or Instagram for market updates and additional vendor spotlights
For more details download the June 2020 edition of the CHFM Newsletter

June 2020 CHFM Newsletter Download Now

Learn more about the College Hill Farmers Market by going to: www.ceee.uni.edu/collegehillfm

June 24, 2020 / Comments Off 2520

41st Annual College Hill Arts Festival — June 21-22nd

41st Annual College Hill Arts Festival

Friday, June 21st & Saturday, June 22nd

Head to the Hill for the 41st Annual College Hill Arts Festival on the corner of College Street and West 23rd Street in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Friday, June 21st and Saturday, June 22nd view artwork from 75 Artists. Artists come from far and wide to display their ceramics, fibers, glassware, graphics, jewelry, paintings, sculptures, and more. Special musical performances during the entire festival.

Stay On the Hill

Local favorite La Calle Food Truck will be present along with many other local food vendors, and community clubs serving delicious foods. Make a day out of heading up to the Hill and enjoy everything from a cup of Sidecar Coffee or a donut from Icon Donuts in the morning to all of the nightlife College Hill has to offer.

Check out the amazing selection of beers at our local bars such as Octopus, The Library, and Social House. Want to rest your feet? And you can take a break and grab something to eat in the newly rennovated Other Place or grab a smoothie to go at the Smoothie Bar, The Shakery or looking for something else sweet check out Insomnia Cookies.

Award Winning Festival

“The College Hill Arts Festival has been named to Sunshine Artist magazine’s list of ‘100 Best Fine Arts & Design Shows’ in the United States for nearly the last decade. Gary Kelley’s Festival posters have won many National contests and awards. In addition, the College Hill Arts Festival was named the “2006 Event of the Year” by the Cedar Valley Tourism Bureaus.”

More Details

For more information including all artists attending please head to the College Hill Arts Festival’s Website.

We hope to see you at the 41st Annual College Hill Arts Festival June 21th-22nd.

Times for CHAF:

June 21st, 12-8 pm
June 22nd: 10-5 pm

Head to the College Hill Arts Festival no ticket required. Parking around College Hill is free. Handicapped parking is located in UNI lot East of Bartlett Hall near the food vendors at the Festival.

May 16, 2019 / Comments Off 3851

College Hill Move Out Guidelines

Move Out Guidelines

Guest Blogger: City of Cedar Falls

Moving Out/Moving In? Will You Help us Reduce the Mess?

Here are some moving in/out guidelines:

1. “Garbage” at the curb can only be picked up by the city when placed inside the green garbage cart assigned to your address. You are allowed one extra bag a week on top of your trash cart with a pink bag tag attached to it. Bag Tags can be purchased at our Transfer Station at 1524 State St., Ace Hardware, Fareway, Hy Vee on University. You may also take your extra bags of trash to the transfer station Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. or on Saturday’s form 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There is a $0.75 cent fee per bag or you can weigh it in and our fee per ton for solid waste is $57.50. If you have the smaller cart you can always up-size to a larger size. We have three sizes of carts.

35 Gallon – $9.00 per month
64 Gallon – $17.00 per month
96 Gallon – $26.50 per month

You can call 273-8629 to change your size of cart if needed. We normally do cart exchanges on your day of collection.

2. Large item pickup is available and scheduled on your refuse collection day for residents with an active Cedar Falls refuse account. To schedule a pickup, call the Public Works Department at (319) 273-8629 between 7 am–4 pm, Monday–Friday. The large items must be placed curbside after 8:00 pm the night before your scheduled collection. This service is limited to large items only and is not intended to be a service for garbage. Residents are charged a $5 per stop fee for bulk collection appointments. The fee is added to your Cedar Falls Utility account.

The following items will be picked up: Couches, Chairs, Recliners, Tables, Carpet and Pad (rolled up), Box Springs, Mattresses, Doors (quantities no greater than three), Windows (quantities no greater than three), Swing Sets (dismantled and no concrete), Grills, Gutters and Down Spouts (sections must be less than 6 feet in length), Bicycles.

This service is only available to residents paying refuse fees to the City of Cedar Falls.

Charged Items: Picking up the following items will result in a charge of $7.50 each on your utility bill: Washers / Dryers, Refrigerators / Freezers, Dish Washers, Air Conditioners, Water Softeners, Water Heaters, Dehumidifiers / Humidifiers, Microwave Ovens, Stoves, Furnaces, Computers/TV’s $5.

Tires are charged as follows:

Car Tire (off rim): $2.50
Car Tire (on rim): $5.00
Truck / Tractor Tire (off rim): $6.50
Truck / Tractor Tire (on rim): $9.00

Refused Items: The following items will NOT be picked up:

Garbage, Yard Waste, Dirt, Hazardous Waste, Bricks, Rocks, Concrete, Sand, Construction, Demolition, Remodeling Materials,

Used Oil Filters (accepted free at the Transfer Station)
Oil (accepted free at the Transfer Station)

Any refuse pick-up violations are subject to a $200.00 hauling fee to the property owner and may impact the amount and timelines of the return of your security deposit.

Thank you for caring about your environment in which you live, work, learn and play.

College Hill Partnership Board of Directors -319-273-6228

www.collegehillpartnership.org

April 8, 2019 / Comments Off 1946

College Hill Welcomes The Finishing Touch Tattoo + Barbershop

Walking in on Opening Day was exciting to see new neighbors and a great new barbershop on the Hill. The Finishing Touch Tattoo and Barbershop opened this past week. It is in full swing. With its seven barbers and three tattoo artists, they are ready to serve you. They will be adding three more barbers soon.

When I talked with Jay and some of his staff he said they were very excited to move to the Hill. “Being so close helps many student access our services.” They say this was a big reason for looking for a storefront on the Hill. Many of their clients mentioned their friends would love the services Jay and his fellow barbers offered at their location in Waterloo. The Finishing Touch staff wanted to make it easy for their clients to access their shop a chose to move to their spot on the Hill.

Appointments and walk-ins are both welcome. Jay and his staff also want everyone to know that all are welcome. They specialize in men’s and boy’s haircuts.

Jay and his staff were very welcoming to us and all the clients who filled their chairs. Walking into the shop the vibe is awesome. A comfy couch lines the big windows, and a pool table is front and center. There is a bar to also wait for your appointment or enjoy a seat as you play some pool.

Speaking of the bar The Finishing Touch has specials like:

Student Tuesday (with valid student idea) Haircuts are just $15

Free Beer Friday (for those who are 21 and up)

The Finishing Touch Tattoo and Barbershop will be open 7 days a week. We invite you to swing by and check them out at 2125 College Street Suite B. They are located right next to The Shakery. Book your appointment by calling (319)-429-4688 or on the Bookys App.

Keep up to date. Make sure to follow them on social:

https://www.facebook.com/The-Finishing-Touch-Tattoo-Barbershop

https://Instagram.com/tft_tattoo_barbershop

You can also check out their website at:

https://thefinishingtouchcf.com/

March 24, 2019 / Comments Off 3859

Sidecar Coffee’s Pour Over Workshop

According to an article on OrganicFacts.net coffee has several health benefits. Benefits range from improving cognition and increase metabolism to improving heart health and protecting your liver. Now we’re not experts on health or coffee but knowing there are some great benefits from our favorite morning beverage just makes us want to drink it more.

So when we heard about an amazing event at Sidecar Coffee we were all in. Held on March 2^nd at 10 am the Pour Over Workshop will teach you how to make the perfect cup using a pour over method. Co-Owner Andy Fuchtman (CHP Past President and current Board Member) said their “top reason [for hosting these workshops] is we want people’s coffee to taste better, and to build our local community of coffee fans.” Who doesn’t want their coffee to taste better? And who doesn’t want to meet new people while learning? Our friends and coffee experts are going to teach this method using the Hario V60. Love coffee and want to learn more about it? Be sure to grab your tickets online by clicking here. Your $30 ticket includes a bag of Sidecar Coffee’s March Costa Rica beans to use at home. You will also have hands-on experience learning from one of the experts at Sidecar Coffee. They tell us spots are limited so make sure to grab your ticket today. This workshop will be hosted at the Sidecar Coffee’s Roaster at 325 Commercial Street, Downtown Waterloo.

Whatever your reason for drinking coffee you aren’t going to want to miss this awesome workshop to learn more about how to make the perfect pour over cup of coffee.

February 22, 2019 / Comments Off 1921