CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — More than 100 individuals, businesses and organizations joined together to help Save CR Heritage breathe new life into the northwest neighborhood through the nonprofit’s Westside Renewal capital campaign.

On Aug. 8, 2025, Save CR Heritage signed closing documents for the historic Zastera Pharmacy building, at 1135-1137 Ellis Blvd. NW, an accomplishment that could not have been achieved without the grassroots support of everyone who contributed.

Related: Plans will return Westside storefront to its roots

During the summer campaign, Save CR Heritage reached hundreds of individuals at meetings and other events, received news coverage from our local media and held “brick-by-brick” fundraisers at the J.E. Halvorson House, 606 Fifth Ave. SE, livestreamed by our friend, Dawn Stephens. The all-volunteer organization did more than ask for donations, holding plant sales and architectural salvage sales, with proceeds dedicated towards purchasing the $175,000 building.

In the midst of the campaign, our application to have the Zastera Pharmacy deemed a local historic landmark was approved by the Cedar Rapids Historic Preservation Commission; City Planning Commission and City Council, making the building the eighth local landmark in Cedar Rapids. Primary research was provided by Save CR Heritage Board President Nikki Halvorson, with additional information from Cedar Rapids Historian Mark Stoffer Hunter and board member Cindy Hadish.

The designation protects the building from future demolition and requires exterior changes to abide by historic preservation guidelines.

Save CR Heritage is beginning the next phase of the project: to create an architectural salvage store and community hub for the historic Time Check neighborhood, where our vintage doors, windows and other architectural materials can be sold, and where space will be available for art displays, popup shops, meetings and more to uplift the neighborhood.

Until the building is open to the public — a process that will take months — we will continue to hold salvage sales at the J.E. Halvorson House. Donations are being accepted for this phase, including in-kind donations of materials and labor needed to bring the storefront up to code.

Thank you to our wonderful volunteers and board members who worked on the campaign and who continue to give their time for our sales and other events.

Thanks also to our incredible Realtors Bev and Larry Moser of Realty87 for their help, and to filmmaker Will Roberts for creating a video to highlight our project.

Save CR Heritage extends our deepest gratitude to the Hall-Perrine Foundation for its remarkable $100,000 catalyst for this project and to Emily Meyer of New Leaf Historic Properties, a founding board member of Save CR Heritage, for her generous $25,000 matching gift to inspire others to donate.

In addition, the following individuals, businesses and organizations who donated $100 or more will be recognized on our donor wall in the forthcoming storefront. If your name is not listed, please contact us at savecrheritage@gmail.com

Donor levels are a tribute to the building’s Czech origins, in honor of original owner Charles Zastera, the son of Bohemian immigrants.

Platina (Platinum): Jay Vavra

Zlato (Gold): Northwest Neighbors Neighborhood Association
Will Roberts and Zoe Wolter, Brand New Extra Good filmmaking

Stříbro (Silver): Realty87
Meyer Fund at the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation
David Maier and Matthew McGrane
Nikki Halvorson
Federation of Czech Groups
Ann Sunde-Wilson
Becki Banes
Karen and Brian Middleswarth
ITC Midwest
Sunrise Rotary
Mark Polking
Fred and Janet Manatt Pilcher
Donald and Patricia Karr
LaVerna K. Moser

Bronz (Bronze): Marilyn Lodge
Al Pierson
Cindy Hadish
Hilary Hershner
Floyd Sandford
Theresa and Steve Mickelson
Gloria Jackson
Margaret and Brad Wolter
Therese and Mark Smith
Stephen Ourecky
CSA Lodge Prokop Velky No. 137
Barb Thompson
Kevin and Lynne Wymore
Dorothy and Don Martens
Jim and Elaine Watkins Miller
Chris and Eryn Cronbaugh
Gordon and Diane Wisgerhof
David Scanlon
Rachel Potthoff
Rebecca Lawin McCarley
Barbara Rhame
Anonymous
Jeanne Voss Wampler
Colleen Mormann
Robby and Hilary Marvin
Sherry Marek and Sudharshan Chary
Elaine Fox
Beth and Tom DeBoom
Brian Fagan
Vaclav Hasek
James and Lois Pienkos
Mary and Lonie Tresnak
Carol and Dennis Sindelar
Shoemaker & Haaland
Denise and Mark Roberts
Sharon Vavra
Dick and Judi Pohorsky
Charles and June Novotny
Larry and Mary Callahan
Jerry and Lisa Kindred
Hilary Livengood and Ben Fashimpaur
Joanie McMahon and Tom Attaway
cjflynn.com
Rose Conley and Landon Schafer
Kreis Property Solutions
Bonnie Dodge and Terry Kemme
Antiquescapes
Steve Gravelle
Keith and Mary Miller
Mike and Gretchen Sullivan
Cindy Bogner
Carol Frischkorn
Larry and Bev Moser
Joyce Langlas
Anna Ramirez
Mike Gorman
Bethany Jordan
Lance and Debbie LeTellier
Jordan King
Francis E. King
Flamingo restaurant
Dennis and Gail Naughton
Carrie Kriz
Robert Kazimour
Jeff and Lisa Snyder
Timothy Klima
Jeff Wozencraft
Rose and Glenn Dunham
LTRI LLC

Save CR Heritage also received donations from dozens of other individuals and we truly appreciate everyone’s support. Every dollar made a difference in reaching our goal.

If you’d like to donate to the next phase of the project, contributions can be made online at: savecrheritage.org/donate or mailed directly to:
Save Cedar Rapids Heritage, P.O. Box 1134,Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-1134.

For donations of $100 and more, please indicate the name to be included on our donor wall. If you’d like to help out with the actual work, let us know if you’d like to join our volunteer crew!

More: Local Czech groups support revitalization of building with Bohemian roots