Plans proceeding for Peosta taproom, while council considers financial incentive

PEOSTA, Iowa — Design and construction officials working on a Peosta taproom recently provided more details on the project while seeking funding for some construction costs.

The taproom presentation was given to City Council members during a work session.

Officials with Dimensional Brewing Co. are helping with the design and consulting work for the new business, which will be located on Thunder Valley Drive. Plans for the taproom were announced in March in conjunction with a Jumble Coffee Co. location, which will be located across the street.

Council members expressed excitement for the nearly 5,000-square-foot taproom following the presentation. It will include a large outdoor deck and patio, as well as craft beers from Dimensional Brewing and other breweries.

“When we put signs out (announcing the taproom), a lot of people were talking about it,” Mayor Jim Merten said. “There’s a lot of excitement.”

Jeff Burds, co-owner of Dimensional’s downtown Dubuque location, told council members that organizers hope the taproom will open by Thanksgiving.

Travis Schwartz, with Larson Construction, also helped with the design and budget of the building. He told council members that construction costs of the taproom alone will be nearly $2 million, about 16% higher than initially budgeted.

Schwartz cited higher costs for materials and delays in shipments as reasons for the elevated costs.

“If we knew that next year would be better, we would have waited,” Burds added. “But I don’t think anybody knew what to expect.”

Burds said they seek more than $55,000 in a forgivable loan from the council for an elevator and landscape costs.

Council members said they would continue discussing the matter within plans for their urban renewal amendment, but no exact timeline was given.

While Merten expressed concerns over not having enough parking spaces at the taproom, he was excited by the possibility of having a city trail go right through the green space incorporated into the site’s design. Burds added that there might even be a possibility to link a trail right to the taproom patio.

“The relationship between this and a future biking/pedestrian trail is undeniable,” Merten said.