Iowa Hawkeyes Losing Iconic Landmark - But It's Not All Bad

The imagery of Kinnick Stadium is going to change, but it may be for the better.

Traffic flows past the recently painted water tower along Hawkins Drive while construction continues during a renovation project at Kinnick Stadium on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, in Iowa City, Iowa. 0717 Kinnick 015 Jpg | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kinnick Stadium is as iconic a college football stadium as any in America. Having opened in 1929, the home of the Iowa Hawkeyes is nearing its 100th birthday, despite plenty of changes over the years.

While Kinnick Stadium has seen renovations, capacity changes, and enhancements over the years, another change is underway that will give the stadium some noticeably different imagery.

The iconic water tower removal is underway

In the corner of the end zone in Kinnick Stadium, a beautiful and iconic landmark sits looking over Duke Slater Field.

The University of Iowa's Hawkins Drive water tower towers over the corner of the stadium with an unmistakable black and yellow Tigerhawk logo contrasting over the white water tower.

It has been the backdrop for many huge moments for the Iowa Hawkeyes over the last decade and litters photo after photo of Kinnick Stadium.

The tower, which is no longer utilized, has seen removal get underway as some new, exciting buildings are set to take its spot.

The removal of the water tower is planned to be completed by the end of August, just before Iowa's 2026 season begins inside Kinnick Stadium against Northern Illinois.

The End of an Era 🥹

The removal of the iconic Tigerhawk water tower on Hawkins Drive will begin today!

🗞️: https://t.co/IEocpJwAz5 pic.twitter.com/Ld01kcKDm5

— The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) July 10, 2026

There is good in change, and Iowa has a plan

While change can hurt and the iconic water tower has a special place for many Iowa fans, there are two sources of good news that are coming from its removal.

The first is that there is a replacement. Iowa wasn't going to forego a water tower with its logo on it. A new water tower has been constructed, which also features the Iowa logo on it, near the football practice fields.

The new water tower is larger and will be able to support the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital and its needs.

That leads right into the second point of this change for the Hawkeyes. The UI Stead Family Children's Hospital is near and dear to Iowa fans, with its young patients being the recipients of "The Wave" at the end of the first quarter, when nearly 70,000 fans and both teams wave.

The removal of the current water tower is to make way for a massive addition to an already outstanding hospital.

The UI Stead Family Children's Hospital is set to build a new adult inpatient tower that will connect to the main hospital and allow for more patients to receive the best and most cutting-edge care.

The removal of the landmark will change the scenery of Kinnick Stadium, but this is one change that is rooted in progress and the betterment of Iowa.