The 10 Biggest Buildings in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids isn't a skyscraper town, and that's part of its charm. Iowa's second-largest city has about a dozen buildings over 130 feet, and almost all of them sit within a few blocks of each other along the Cedar River downtown.
What's interesting is when they went up. The city's skyline came in two bursts: a wave of construction in the late 1920s, and another in the 1970s. Hardly anything tall was built in between. So when you drive in on I-380, you're looking at two different eras of Cedar Rapids standing side by side.
Here's our list of the 10 biggest buildings in Cedar Rapids, ranked by height.
The 10 biggest buildings in Cedar Rapids
1. Alliant Tower – 285 feet, 21 floors (1972)
The Alliant Tower at 200 1st Street SE has been the tallest building in Cedar Rapids for more than 50 years. Locals who've been around a while might still call it the IES Tower or the Iowa Electric Tower. It's also the tallest building in Iowa outside of Des Moines, which is a fun bit of trivia to pull out at a bar.
2. Cedar River Tower – 237 feet, 25 floors (1974)
Cedar River Tower actually has more floors than the Alliant Tower, it just packs them in tighter. It's the tallest residential building in the city, and the river views from the upper units are hard to beat.
3. Plaza 425 – 207 feet, 14 floors (1983)
You may know this one as the old APAC Building. It's a straightforward office tower and one of the last big projects of Cedar Rapids' 1970s and early '80s building wave.
4. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cedar Rapids – 197 feet, 16 floors (1979)
If you've been to a concert or convention downtown, you've probably walked past (or stayed in) the DoubleTree. It connects to the convention complex and is the city's tallest hotel.
5. Quaker Oats Plant – 190 feet, 13 floors (1927)
This is the building you smell before you see. The Quaker Oats plant is considered the largest cereal mill in the world, and it held the title of tallest building in Cedar Rapids for 45 years, from 1927 until the Alliant Tower topped it.
6. CRST Center – 180 feet, 11 floors (2016)
The newest building on the list. CRST's headquarters added some modern glass to the skyline and is the tallest thing Cedar Rapids built in the 2010s.
7. Veterans Memorial Building – 175 feet, 10 floors (1928)
Sitting on May's Island in the middle of the Cedar River, the Veterans Memorial Building served as City Hall until the 2008 flood. It's one of the most recognizable landmarks in town.
8. US Bank Building – 166 feet, 12 floors (1926)
The building that started it all. When it opened in 1926 it was the tallest in the city, though it only held that spot for about a year before Quaker Oats passed it.
9. 500 Second Avenue SE – 161 feet, 10 floors (1980)
A mid-rise office building on the east side of downtown. Not flashy, but it's a big part of the downtown workday.
10. Mercy Medical Center – 152 feet, 10 floors (1969)
Rounding out the list is Mercy Medical Center, a short drive east of downtown. It's the only hospital in the top 10 and one of the busiest buildings in the city on any given day.
Just missing the cut: Geneva Towers (135 ft) and the historic Hotel Roosevelt (132 ft), which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
What keeps a building looking sharp
Nine of these ten buildings are more than 40 years old, and a few are pushing 100. Iowa weather is rough on exteriors. Freeze-thaw cycles, river humidity, road grime, and plain old dirt build up on concrete, brick, and glass faster than most owners realize.
That's where we come in. At EcoWash, our crews handle pressure washing and exterior cleaning for buildings of every size, from homes to apartment buildings, and from storefronts to multi-story offices. A clean exterior protects the materials and makes a better first impression on tenants and customers.
If you own a home or manage a property in Cedar Rapids, get in touch with EcoWash for a free estimate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tallest building in Cedar Rapids, Iowa?
The Alliant Tower, at 285 feet and 21 floors. It has held the title since 1972.
What is the newest tall building in Cedar Rapids?
The CRST Center, an 11-story, 180-foot office building completed in 2016.
How many tall buildings does Cedar Rapids have?
About 12 buildings stand over 130 feet, nearly all of them downtown.
Sources
• List of tallest buildings in Cedar Rapids – Wikipedia
• Alliant Tower – Wikipedia
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