Quad City Photo Thread (Des Moines, Hampton: 2014, how much, employment)

[QuadCityImages]

I'm mainly curious what an example of a city would be that doesn't have blighted areas or the occasional run down building?

Any argument that downtown Davenport is not doing well is just ignoring all facts. The amount of housing units coming on line and being instantly filled, the amount of outside investment (and finally local investment) pouring into downtown, or the fact that within 10 years we'll actually run out of old buildings to renovate... these are not examples that come to mind for Flint, Michigan or other truly blighted communities.

[funksoulbro]

Originally Posted by QuadCityImages

Any argument that downtown Davenport is not doing well is just ignoring all facts. The amount of housing units coming on line and being instantly filled, the amount of outside investment (and finally local investment) pouring into downtown, or the fact that within 10 years we'll actually run out of old buildings to renovate... these are not examples that come to mind for Flint, Michigan or other truly blighted communities.

"Doing well" is a very relative term. I'm sure you can make an argument where downtown Davenport is "doing well" compared to some of the bigger dumps situated around America. Relatively speaking, I probably wouldn't argue that point much.

However, in terms of actual appearance, downtown Davenport is still a visual nightmare much closer to Flint than say, your neighbors to the west in Des Moines. I mean, it isn't even close. Des Moines actually has lots of people working/living downtown in fairly new and substantial buildings. Davenport is becoming a collection of abandoned six-story office buildings from the 1930s that have now been converted into apartments. What has been the newest office construction in downtown Davenport? It was some half-way house, wasn't it?

I'd agree that downtown Davenport is less dumpy than it was ten years ago. However, it's still a place I'd be embarrassed to show out-of-town folks from a larger city. There's nothing down there. The homeless people seem to love it, but not really anyone else. Where I come from, that makes it a dump.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by funksoulbro

"Doing well" is a very relative term. I'm sure you can make an argument where downtown Davenport is "doing well" compared to some of the bigger dumps situated around America. Relatively speaking, I probably wouldn't argue that point much.

However, in terms of actual appearance, downtown Davenport is still a visual nightmare much closer to Flint than say, your neighbors to the west in Des Moines. I mean, it isn't even close. Des Moines actually has lots of people working/living downtown in fairly new and substantial buildings. Davenport is becoming a collection of abandoned six-story office buildings from the 1930s that have now been converted into apartments. What has been the newest office construction in downtown Davenport? It was some half-way house, wasn't it?

I'd agree that downtown Davenport is less dumpy than it was ten years ago. However, it's still a place I'd be embarrassed to show out-of-town folks from a larger city. There's nothing down there. The homeless people seem to love it, but not really anyone else. Where I come from, that makes it a dump.

Closer to Flint? Hyperbole again. I'm from a REALLY big city. I don't expect Davenport to be like Chicago or Des Moines or Madison. I take it on its own terms. Rough areas- some. Some unrevived industrial areas-sure. An area I am embarrassed to go to and visit-NO. A dump-NO. Visual nightmare-NO

[funksoulbro]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

Closer to Flint? Hyperbole again. I'm from a REALLY big city. I don't expect Davenport to be like Chicago or Des Moines or Madison. I take it on its own terms. Rough areas- some. Some unrevived industrial areas-sure. An area I am embarrassed to go to and visit-NO. A dump-NO. Visual nightmare-NO

Davenport is part of a metro area that is (population-wise) roughly comparable to Des Moines or Madison. Why are those two cities so much further ahead in the game? I understand that Chicago is in a league of its own with respect to population, but the Quad Cities isn't significantly smaller than the two other aforementioned areas.

It seems the QC lags behind them...and quite noticeably. I don't ever see anyone raving about their visit to the Quad Cities. Outside visitors seem to have a very "blah" impression of the area, at best. You're not going to find any Washington Post or Today Show press about what a dynamic city Davenport is. That's because it's dull, dirty, and depressing.

[ElleTea]

What is the population of the Davenport area metro? Surely not near 600K people like Des Moines is..the two are not really comparible in that way.

[funksoulbro]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

What is the population of the Davenport area metro? Surely not near 600K people like Des Moines is..the two are not really comparible in that way.

Not that long ago, the Quad Cities was larger than both Des Moines and Madison in population...

1980 Census

Quad Cities 383,958
Des Moines 367,561
Madison 323,545


In 1990, Des Moines was only 15k bigger (5% difference) than QC, and Madison was 20k smaller than QC. So, in terms of fairly recent historical standards, those three metro areas were very comparable.

Of course, the Quad Cities is a depressing dump with a weak local economy, so naturally Madison and Des Moines have jumped ahead over the last couple censuses. I guess that is the real problem. A bunch of nice, cherry-picked photos still won't hide the fact the Quad Cities is dying place that can't keep up with its neighbors.

[ElleTea]

1980 is "not that long ago?"

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by funksoulbro

Davenport is part of a metro area that is (population-wise) roughly comparable to Des Moines or Madison. Why are those two cities so much further ahead in the game? I understand that Chicago is in a league of its own with respect to population, but the Quad Cities isn't significantly smaller than the two other aforementioned areas.

It seems the QC lags behind them...and quite noticeably. I don't ever see anyone raving about their visit to the Quad Cities. Outside visitors seem to have a very "blah" impression of the area, at best. You're not going to find any Washington Post or Today Show press about what a dynamic city Davenport is. That's because it's dull, dirty, and depressing.

Depends on your POV. I'm not into bar hopping. I need someplace with walking, cycling and jogging options. I also need someplace easy on the eyes. Maybe it would be different living there and different if I was about 20 years younger and still single. So i don't find it dirty, dull or depressing. As far as why it lags behind Madison and Des Moines? Those are one city government and they are also State capitols AND college towns (less so des Moines with Drake) Perhaps your posts would be less ingenious if you qualified your criticisms. As in: for someone looking for a lively bar scene, or for real foodies, or for a young single. Then you would gain more credibility (if that's even important to you) instead of painting with such a broad brush that you end up comparing QC with Flint; which is laughable.

And then there is your need to resurrect threads that are several years old to bash QC
Why? Do you need to win this "argument"/discussion?

[smpliving]

I've only been to the Quad Cities a few times over the years, so can't give much of an opinion. Some areas in Davenport do look less than desireable, but other areas are quite nice. I know several people from Iowa City and Cedar Rapids who enjoy bicycling along the riverfront and the many festivals that take place along the river. A few have mentioned if Davenport (and Bettendorf) was closer to work, they would prefer to live there with the proximity to the river. These include professionals and nonprofessionals from in state, and also transplants.

[atler8]

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I will create a thread here soon that specifically will examine the negativity & see if we can come together & work our way through it via an exchange of observations & ideas.
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