Glenwood Resource Center Redevelopment
In partnership with the State of Iowa, the Glenwood Redevelopment Corporation (GRC) is working to repurpose the Glenwood Resource Center campus and provide Glenwood with an asset that can be a source of community pride. The preliminary master plan created through community input from stakeholders and the public will:
- Identify opportunities for building preservation and redevelopment
- Create parcels for the development of new housing types
- Consider cultural resources and sensitivities
- Define opportunities for improved access
- Promote economic synergies, and
- Provide a roadmap for sustained growth
July 2025 Update
The Glenwood Redevelopment Corporation (GRC) took possession of the main campus, consisting of 245 acres, on April 11. The main focus of work by GRC during the April-May-June timeframe was the extension of dedicated utilities to the Glen Haven nursing home and the Glenwood Community School District’s administration building. The State of Iowa completely exited the campus on June 30th and shut down the power plant. GRC has now signed a contract with HDR, who helped develop the initial master plan, to serve as the architect/engineer for the redevelopment. An RFQ will be issued in early July to engage a Master Developer who will help update the master plan and guide redevelopment. The State of Iowa requires all work on the campus to be bid competitively so opportunities for local contractors to bid on projects will be made available.
February 2024 Update
After more than a year of planning, due diligence, and a public engagement period HDR and their team published the redevelopment plan that provides a vision for the future of the GRC campus. That document is linked below.
Bid Opportunities at GRC
Master Developer RFQ
You can view the Master Developer Request for Qualifications by clicking here.
Open until July 28, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the project at Glenwood Resource Center Campus?
The Glenwood Resource Center was closed by the State of Iowa in June of 2024. Rather than let the campus sit empty and deteriorate or simply demolish the entire campus, the State approached the community of Glenwood about redeveloping the campus into a community asset. A nonprofit organization was created to accept ownership of the main campus and help lead redevelopment. The State engaged HDR to lead a visioning process for the redevelopment which included a market assessment, visioning session, and design workshop that helped the consulting team produce a preliminary redevelopment master plan for the site.
- What is being considered to replace Glenwood Resource Center campus?
The exact nature of what will be included in the redevelopment has not yet been determined. The preliminary master plan was completed (available as a download on this site) and will help guide the process. The preliminary concept call for a mix of housing option, some commercial space, public space and trails, and two new roads to provide access to Highway 34. A market assessment was completed to help determine potential residential mix.
- What will happen to the cemetery?
The cemetery on site will remain though public access at times may be constrained due to potential demolition of buildings and interior roads. The GRC is committed to honoring and preserving the memory of those who are interned there.
- Why was the Glenwood Resource Center campus closed?
The State of Iowa determined that there was decreasing need for large state run facilities as standards of care have changed into more of a community-based setting. As care practices changed, it was determined the State run facility was not an effective use of tax dollars.
- Can I still visit Glenwood Resource Center campus?
Currently both the campus and internal roads are private property. The campus has two existing tenants on site, the Glen Haven nursing home and the Glenwood Community School District’s administration building and Kids Place childcare. Individuals who are visiting these entities are allowed access to the campus. Visiting the cemetery is also allowed. Parts of the campus may be blocked or barricaded as demolition and construction occurs on site.
- How can I provide feedback or comments about the project?
The project team requested public input each night of the four-day design workshop, which was held from April 24 – April 27, 2023. The public was invited to join the project team at the design workshop from 5:30-7 p.m. The team worked on design concepts during the day, and each evening, the public was invited to a “pin-up” session where the project team presented their work and asked for comments and feedback. The next day, the project team worked to incorporate this feedback. This process repeated all four days of the workshop, leading to community consensus on a preferred concept.
If you have additional comments or questions, please use the “Contact” tab at the top of this page.
Project Partners
To assist in the creation of the preliminary redevelopment master plan for the campus, the following project partners participated and played unique roles in the process.
The State of Iowa: The State of Iowa provided direction and parameters to repurpose the Glenwood Resource Center site. The State will continue to monitor and provide feedback on the direction of the redevelopment plan project.
The Community Task Force: A Community Task Force was established to represent the community of Glenwood and provide input and feedback on behalf of the community. The Task Force provided information to the project team to ensure that the redevelopment plan will guide the redevelopment into an asset that meets the community’s goals.
HDR: HDR served as lead consultant on the project, driving the data collection, visioning sessions, design workshops, and master plan development.
S.B. Friedman Development Advisors: S.B. Friedman Development Advisors prepared a market assessment that provided market information to guide the redevelopment plan.
NuStyle Development and Arch-Icon: NuStyle Development and Arch-Icon served as strategic development advisors to the project partners.
The Public: The public was asked to provide input and feedback to the project team during the four-day Design Workshop. Public comment was used to achieve consensus on the preferred concept and provide direction for the redevelopment of the site.
March 2023 Update
A visioning session was held with the identified project task force on February 21, 2023. The goal of the visioning session is to align the market assessment with ideas for the redevelopment of the GRC site.
December 2022 Update
Data collection related to GRC site characteristics is currently underway. This includes activities to evaluate terrain, vehicle and pedestrian circulation, building(s) condition, historically significant components, and stakeholder interviews. Concurrently, a market analysis is underway to consider viable type(s) of development that could occur within the site. The master plan will be posted to this webpage as it becomes available.