For more than two decades, Marc Moen and the Moen Group reshaped the skyline of Iowa City. The downtown I remember from the 1990s was a commercial district lined with student bars, cheap restaurants, and little permanent community outside of the university calendar. It lacked the arts, culture, and energy we know today. The Moen Group didn't just build towers—they built a new vision of downtown living.
Their vision brought a bold, urban flavor to downtown—blending modern residential units, boutique hotels, entertainment spaces, and walkable living at a scale our city had never seen before.
“The Moen Group didn’t just build towers—they built a new vision of downtown living.”
From the towering Chauncey building—still the tallest in Iowa City at 15 stories—to landmarks like Plaza Towers and Park@201, the Moen Group’s developments created a new downtown identity: urban, walkable, and luxurious. They carved out a niche that catered to a growing market of downsizers, professionals, and those who believed that vibrant city living didn’t have to mean sacrificing style. But bold visions come with bold risks.
In April, a Johnson County court ruled in favor of GreenState Credit Union after the Moen Group defaulted on roughly $28 million in loans tied to several flagship properties. As a result, condominiums and commercial spaces (still owned by the Moen Group) in the The Chauncey, Plaza Towers, Park@201, and other properties are now headed for sheriff’s sale auctions—marking one of the largest real estate foreclosures in Iowa City’s history.
The fallout is sobering. Yet, the impact they made on the city’s landscape is undeniable. The Moen Group helped usher in a true urban renaissance: a downtown where people didn’t just party or work—they lived. Permanent residents brought year-round vitality, fueling new restaurants, independent shops, galleries, and amenities that transformed Iowa City from a university service town into a thriving urban community.
Their legacy—walkable mixed-use developments, creative infill projects, lifestyle hubs—will continue to shape future growth long after the gavel falls on their properties. And now, as the next chapter begins, those spaces remain: ready for new hands, new dreams, and the next evolution of urban life in our city.
📸 The Iowa City Public Library’s major remodel — 2004, the same year Plaza Towers opened its doors.
A symbol of a downtown starting to invest in culture, community, and lasting change.
📸 From a rising skyline to a rising dream—overlooking the future site of The Chauncey, built 2017.
Steel, glass, and vision beginning to reshape Iowa City’s downtown forever. Photo 2013, balcony on Plaza Towers.
📸 Park@201 rising from the ground—2013, captured while selling a Plaza Towers condo.
A front-row seat to Iowa City’s next chapter taking shape.
📸 A new view of the Ped Mall terrace from inside Plaza Towers.
Where students once rushed past — now a place for people to gather, connect, and linger.
📸 Amy and I on our wedding day at HotelVetro, inside Plaza Towers—2010.
One of the first major projects that reimagined downtown living.
📸 Overlooking the city from a Plaza Towers penthouse—2017.
What once was a student town was becoming a true urban skyline.
The opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect those of any affiliated real estate brokerage. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Readers should independently verify all information.
