Couple plan to replicate Kinnick in 7,500-square-foot house

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story misidentified the place the Carlsons call home. They currently reside in Decorah.

Despite concerns and complaints raised by some neighboring property owners, Iowa City officials say they have no authority to intervene in the proposed construction of a nearly 7,500-square-foot house being built to resemble Kinnick Stadium.

"The property is not in a historic or conservation district, and staff has no authority to constrain the design of the structure other than existing building and zoning codes," according to a June 17 memo from Development Services Coordinator John Yapp.

Reed and Sandy Carlson, of Decorah, have filed building plans with the city for a home to be constructed on Lusk Avenue — a short, dead-end street located across Highway 6 and the railroad tracks from the Iowa City VA Hospital.

The plans call for a 7,476 square-foot home shaped like the University of Iowa's 87-year-old Kinnick Stadium, complete with brick siding and a replica of the press box.

"The idea that just because it looks like Kinnick Staduim it's going to be a party house or whatnot is a misnomer," Reed Carlson told the Press-Citizen on Tuesday. "Like I said to the city attorney in University Heights: 'It's a residential neighborhood. It's zoned residential. You aren't going to issue me a liquor license, so why are you concerned about what the house looks like?'"

The Carlsons had proposed construction last year of a similarly designed but smaller home in University Heights. The project would have a required a variance from the city's sensitive slope ordinance, which the University Heights City Council voted against providing.

As in University Heights, neighboring property owners in Iowa City have raised about whether a house that size — and in that shape — would be an appropriate addition to one of the city's established neighborhoods.

“A 7,400 sq. ft. structure is gargantuan compared to the surrounding homes and would seem to violate the family-oriented composition of the neighborhood," Stephen McGowan wrote in a letter to the Iowa City Council.

Iowa City staff had similar concerns because of the house design.

"The owner sent an email stating they intend to use the structure as a second home in order to spend time with their son and grandchildren in Iowa City, and potentially as a permanent home," the memo states.

The Carlsons also submitted an affidavit attesting that they will use the building as a single-family home and that any tailgating activities done on the property will abide by city code for single-family properties.

"I'm a big theme guy; I like themes," Carlson told the Press-Citizen. "When we originally got the lot in University Heights, my stepson suggested 'If you're going to use it to tailgate, maybe you should build it so it looks like Kinnick Stadium,' and I thought that sounded like a good idea."

The memo states that any concerns or complaints about the use of the property "will be treated consistent with how we treat complaints related to other residential properties in the city — including investigation of nuisance and criminal complaints, and citations if warranted."

Information about the proposed house was included in the correspondence section of the agenda for Tuesday's Iowa City Council meeting, but no formal item appeared on the agenda. About a dozen attendees at the meeting — mostly residents of the neighborhood near where the home is planned to be built — spoke out during the council's community comment period.

Bill Ackerman, who owns a home adjacent to the lot, said he and others in the neighborhood learned about the plans about three weeks ago. On Monday night, about 50 neighborhood residents gathered for a community meeting.

"Nobody likes this," Ackerman said. "It's out of character for the neighborhood, and it's not appropriate."

Dennis Befeler, who lives about a block away from the lot, said during the meeting that the layout of the home more closely resembles an event venue than a home.

"Although there are bedrooms on the second floor, the entire first floor is laid out as a spacious commercial venue for entertaining," Befeler said. "The sheer size of this venue is alarming."

City Attorney Eleanor Dilkes said during Tuesday's meeting that "it is my understanding that the code requirements have been satisfied, and the council does not have the authority."

If the home were used inappropriately or as a "party house," Dilkes said the city can enforce its zoning code through a municipal infraction or a disorderly house infraction.

City Council members asked to put the home on the agenda for its next meeting to discuss the issue further and hear more from the neighborhood.

Two years ago, McGrath Hawkeye Harley-Davidson submitted plans to Coralville to build a new facility along WestCor Drive with a façade replicating the historic Kinnick Stadium. Although construction went forward, the design raised concerns among UI officials who said at the time that outside entities must receive authorization by UI to use "word marks, trademarks, logos or symbols" associated with the university.

UI officials could not immediately answer questions about whether the house design would raise any similar concerns.

Reach Andy Davis at 319-887-5404 or at aldavis@press-citizen.com. Reach Jeff Charis-Carlson at 319-887-5435 or jcharisc@press-citizen.com. Follow them on Twitter at @BylineAndyDavis and @jeffcharis.