Clay Pavers Are Central to Cedar Falls’ Contemporary Streetscaping

The Belden Brick Company’s City Line Series Pavers help connect a city’s past, present, and future, balancing aesthetic appeal with practical durability.

Established in the mid-1800s as a mill town powered by the waters of the Cedar River, Cedar Falls, Iowa, was facing critical infrastructure challenges by the mid-2010s. Although the city received a prestigious Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) in 2003, its historic Parkade was rapidly deteriorating. Underground utilities were over 100 years old, pavement was crumbling despite repeated repairs, and the downtown area required extensive updates to support modern community needs.

In spearheading the design of the Cedar Falls Downtown Streetscape and Reconstruction Project, Snyder & Associates selected Belden Brick’s City Line Series Pavers to deliver both immediate infrastructure improvements and decades of reliable performance. Chosen for their superior dimensional tolerance and ability to create complex color patterns across large-scale installations, the clay pavers serve as both functional infrastructure and a visual language that guides residents and visitors through Cedar Falls' transformed downtown.

"The City Line Series Paver offers the industry's highest compressive strengths and one of its lowest absorption properties," says Jim Piteo, national paving products manager at Belden Brick. "This paver is almost like a plate of steel in public spaces where common staining agents—such as motor oil, gum, food oils, and dirt from foot traffic—can wreak havoc."

To date, the project has resulted in unified streetscapes featuring more than two acres of paver sidewalk designs and public spaces that seamlessly function as a pedestrian promenade, community gathering space, and celebration venue. The transformation extends from the Parkade to Peter Melendy Park along the Cedar River, where nearly 500 square yards of deteriorating concrete sidewalks were replaced with color paver patterns.

The park features the Gateway to the Trails sculpture and serves as a symbolic and functional bridge between Cedar Falls' commercial heart and its natural amenities. Here, the paver installation creates radiating patterns around the sculptural centerpiece, demonstrating how thoughtful urban hardscapes can enhance artistic elements and create memorable public spaces. This creates new connections between the business district, emerging residential developments, and the regional trail system, positioning Cedar Falls as a destination for both commerce and recreation.

STRATEGIC COLOR PATTERNS GUIDE COMMUNITY FLOW

The pavers' fired-clay construction, heated to 2,000 degrees, creates through-body colors that resist UV fading and environmental damage while providing the design flexibility to create the complex color patterns that define different zones throughout the project area. The intricate use of multiple paver colors—Carbon Black, Regimental Full Range, Sienna Blend, and Wheatfield —arranged in geometric patterns serves both wayfinding and aesthetic functions. This approach was not merely decorative but represented a sophisticated understanding of how color and pattern can activate public space.

PRECISION MANUFACTURING ENABLES COMPLEX STREETSCAPING DESIGN EXECUTION

When manufacturing products like clay pavers, the properties of the raw material and firing curves can result in dimensional variations. Belden's Plant 2 facility provided the dimensional consistency necessary for the seamless installation of over 57,000 pavers across multiple colors and bond patterns.

In addressing the technical challenges of large-scale paver installation, the project team leveraged Belden Brick's advanced manufacturing processes and quality control systems. The company's ownership of its raw material sources and modern production facilities enabled the consistent quality and color matching required for a project of this complexity.

"We maintain quality control over raw material from mining to manufacturing, resulting in a dimensionally correct product with through-body colors that have remained consistent," says Piteo. "A designer can confidently plan for the future with multiple Belden Brick paver colors and bond patterns."

ENCOURAGING PRIVATE INVESTMENT THROUGH PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE

The integration of private development through the River Place Plaza component showcases how successful public infrastructure projects can complement private investment. By extending the downtown streetscape design into new residential and commercial developments, the paver system creates visual continuity that strengthens the district's identity while supporting mixed-use development, bringing residents closer to downtown amenities and services.

The project's recognition through multiple awards—including the Silver 2024 Brick in Architecture Award in Paving & Landscaping and the Special Projects Grand Prize from the American Council of Engineering Companies—validates the success of this approach to urban renewal. These honors reflect not only the technical excellence of the installation but also the project's broader impact on community life and economic development.

As residents and visitors move through these renewed spaces, they experience a narrative of recovery and innovation that unfolds beneath their feet—a story that acknowledges the community's challenges while providing the foundation for its continued prosperity. Through this project, downtown Cedar Falls has been reimagined not just as a restored historic district but as a vibrant catalyst for the community's ongoing evolution, offering renewed connections to its heritage, confidence in its present vitality, and optimism for its sustainable future.