Iowa City Council Candidate Profiles: Mark McCallum

Note: I gave Mark McCallum the same opportunity to introduce himself to the community as I did the other candidates. He said that he would prefer to provide me with a press release rather than answer the questions I sent him, so here is an abridged version of that release.

Mark McCallum is a 24 year resident of Iowa City and is known locally for his interest in redevelopment of historic properties.

He was the original developer of Iowa City’s Brown Street Inn. From there, he went on to own and operate Brick House Apartments located on College Street. He is currently in the final stages of converting a former sorority house to studio apartments which he calls College Hill Studios. McCallum has received preservation awards for each of these redevelopment projects.

In addition to his development activities, McCallum is a realtor with Iowa Realty.

IMPORTANT ISSUES

“I love and care deeply for our city and will do what I can to keep Iowa City a great place to live. 

We need leadership that can focus on expanding our tax base while at the same
time maintaining the city’s uniqueness” asserts McCallum.

McCallum supports:

Smart Growth Zoning

Encourage diversity of housing options in downtown and multifamily zones by offering density bonuses to developers that incorporate specific objective in their proposals.

Specific objectives could be accessible or affordable housing units. McCallum also
supports zoning that would allow for conversion of existing apartment buildings to
housing cooperatives. This would allow for more affordable owner occupied housing in the downtown area.

Delay of property tax recalculations for Historic Properties.

Encourage investment in our historic and conservations zones by delaying the property tax assessment for exterior improvements approved by the Historic Preservation Commission.

Rental Housing Diversity

Will support density regulations that regulate occupancy in our multifamily zones by bodies per acre of land versus units per acre of land. (Our current code). This will allow for development of smaller, more affordable housing.

A New Comprehensive Plan for Our Downtown and Surrounding East Side
Neighborhoods.

With the new business environment created by the passage of the “21” ordinance. We need to look at new business models that will allow the Downtown to diversify and expand. Important to this goal would be to support zoning changes that would encourage more residential housing in our downtown area. In our Conservation and Historic Districts McCallum would support a new “Village Zone” that would allow for apartment building conversions to housing cooperatives, incentives for accessible and affordable housing and more opportunities for “live /work “residential redevelopment.

Melrose Game Day Vendors

McCallum will support efforts to keep vendors in their current location on Melrose
Avenue and will oppose efforts to close off Melrose Avenue from the public on game days.

ABOUT THE CANDIDATE

Mark McCallum, 50 is a native of Waterloo, Iowa. Mark has a degree in Journalism from the University of Iowa. He has served as a representive for the Historic Preservation Commission and was a board member of the Iowa City and Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau. He currently serves as a board member for Friends of Historic Preservation.

His family includes brothers Mike and Matt from Cedar Falls and Denver, Iowa. His
sister Vicki Royer lives in Phoenix Arizona.

For more information regarding Mark’s campaign and updates. Check out our website at http://mccallumforcouncil.wordpress.com/

Background of the profile series:

Iowa City Patch sent the current Iowa City Council candidates a list of the same seven questions to provide people with a greater understanding of the individuals who are running in the Nov. 8 election for the Iowa City Council.

The seven council members serve four year terms, with four seats up in November (effective 2012) for one District A, one District C and two At-large slots on the council. The remaining three slots are up in 2013 (effective 2014).  City elections are held every two years.