Hasta La Ideas

While the University of Iowa has had to continue its fight with FEMA over the rebuilding of their Museum of Art, which was heavily damaged by the floods of 2008 and is now essentially un-insurable due to its current building’s close proximity to the river, they may have just received a helping hand. To this point, after the flood water receded, by and large, their struggle has been reported in local outlets and by interested parties such as we here at UnBeige (U of I, after all, is this writer’s beloved alma mater). But now the NY Times has filed a long report on the battle, telling the university and museum’s story and how FEMA has created what appears to be a frustrating, pointless instance of mind-numbing bureaucracy. To catch you up: FEMA has agreed to give millions to help the museum repair their original building. But if it’s not insurable, how are they supposed to hang their valuable art collection inside (“valued at $500 million”)? FEMA, to this point, won’t budge and won’t agree to the university’s other option, using those funds to help construct a new building, one at a much safer distance from the river. And so that’s where we are now. Hopefully this national attention to their cause helps give a bit of a push in the right direction. Certainly couldn’t hurt.

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