KDSN RADIO News
Senate votes to sell Wallace Building
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Senate has voted to move ahead with selling the 48-year-old Wallace State Office building that sits across from the State Capitol. The building has a series of issues and Governor Kim Reynolds recommended it be torn down. Democrat Senator Cindy Winckler of Davenport spoke out against selling the property. “Makes no sense at all, in my opinion, and I think that people, the public, will be disappointed to find that we have eliminated parking,” she says. The building has a parking ramp as well. Winckler says she understands the building is not salvageable. “But I wish that we would take some additional time and figure out an appropriate use of prime real estate next to the Capitol,” she says.
Fellow Democrat Bill Dotzler of Waterloo says the parking is important because it is across from the State Historical Society and parking is at a premium around the capitol complex. Dotzler says he doesn’t like giving up prime property near the capitol. “Once you give away or sell a piece of property in this complex, somebody else can own it. They put up whatever, basically what they want,” Dotzler says. Republican Senator Ken Rozenboom of Pella answered the concerns. “As far as ownership of the land, perhaps you make a valid point with that. On one hand, on the other hand, the state of Iowa doesn’t have any business being the real estate business. That’s not what we do,” Rozenboom says. He also addressed Dotzler on the parking ramp issue.
“The parking ramp senator is exclusively for use of the people that work in the Wallace Building. It is not open to the public, so this perhaps, would make that ramp available for you when you want to go to the legislative reception across the street or down the street,” he says. All of the state employees who had worked in the building have moved out. Representative Gary Mohr, a Republican from Bettendorf who is chair of the House Appropriations Committee expressed concern last month about selling off the property. He told Radio Iowa they don’t need to make a quick decision on the issue.
