concordia is a community based planning and design team with a collective passion for the principles of concord. We implement our work through an integrative and participatory process that addresses physical, cultural, social, educational, organizational and economic assets and needs.
Perry, Iowa Community Master Plan
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Perry, Iowa is a small agricultural and manufacturing center 30 miles west of Des Moines. Once a major Midwestern hub on the Transcontinental Railroad, Perry is currently in the process of recapturing its history in order to build a new economic base (tourism) as well as maintaining and attracting residents to sustain its population of 6,000. In the last ten years, the town has seen an influx of Latino immigrants, who now comprise 30% of the population. In 2002, the town’s middle school building, which was completed in 1910 and served as Perry’s first high school, was vacated without a clear future. Concordia was invited by the City of Perry, Perry Public Schools, and the Hometown Perry Iowa Foundation to facilitate our planning process in March of 2002 to help this community achieve its goals.
The planning process has been completed and now the community is determining ways to deal with the need for a new community performing and creative arts center, increased cross-cultural activities and learning opportunities, expansion of their early childhood education, and how to pay for the adaptation of the old Middle School building into a usable community space.