Downtown Davenport Projects in the last 5 years (Waterloo, Iowa City: environment, credit)

[QuadCityImages]

Here's the list, going from 2003 to the present, in order of completion or planned completion.

Last Updated: 3/24/2008


1.)Redstone Parking Structure
Location: 101 Main Street
Developer: City of Davenport
Cost: $14.2 million for 2 parking ramps, see #2
Category: Parking structure
Status: Completed in 2003
Description: This 453-space parking ramp lies underneath the Skybridge, and was designed to provide parking for downtown visitors, workers, casino patrons and employees, and extra parking for the riverfront. Both parking structures were designed by Neumann Monson Architects of Iowa City.



2.)2nd and Harrison Parking Structure
Location: 202 Harrison Street
Developer: City of Davenport
Cost: $14.2 million for 2 parking ramps, see #1
Category: Parking structure
Status: Completed in 2003
Description: A 621-space parking structure that is used by surrounding office buildings, and the Figge Art Museum across the intersection.



3.)John O'Donnell Stadium renovation (Now Modern Woodmen Park)
Location: 209 S Gaines Street
Developer: City of Davenport, 7th Inning Stretch
Cost: $12.5 million
Category: Stadium
Status: Completed in 2004
Description: Now renamed Modern Woodmen Park, this is the 4th oldest professional baseball stadium still in use, after Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, and Yankee Stadium. The renovation added a berm for seating and flood protection, more restrooms and concessions, skyboxes, and a walkway all the way around the field.



4.)Mississippi Plaza
Location: 201 N Harrison Street
Developer: Ryan Companies/Design Build
Cost: $14.3 million
Category: Office
Status: Completed in 2004
Description: Class A office space, with Lee Enterprises and RSM Mcgladrey as the main tenants. A similar second building adjacent to this structure is possible sometime in the future.



5.)River Music Experience/Redstone Building renovation
Location: 129 Main Street
Developer: Kaizen Company
Cost: $7.5 million
Category: Museum, Performance Venue, Restaurant, Retail, Office
Status: Completed in 2004
Description: This building, built in 1892, was the first location for what is now the Von Maur department store chain, which remains headquartered in Davenport. The building now houses the River Music Experience (a museum about roots music) and the Redstone Room performance venue, along with a recording studio, coffee shop, restaurant, and 2 floors of offices. Before it closed at the end of 2007, the Redstone was home to the 2nd location of DSM-based Centro, which has now been replaced by Woodfire Grill.


(Photo coming soon)
6.)New Ventures Center
Location: 331 W 3rd Street
Developer: Kaizen Company
Cost: $4.9 million
Category: Office
Status: Completed in 2005
Description: From their website: "Founded in 2002, the NewVentures Initiative (NVI) is a regional business incubator and technology accelerator serving Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. NewVentures Initiative operates the NewVentures Center located at 331 W 3rd Street in Davenport, Iowa." ... "Clients receive customized business planning services, links to funding sources and ventures capital, access to vital business intelligence data, a supportive environment with other like-minded individuals and in some cases turnkey Class A office space in the NewVentures Center."



7.)Figge Art Museum
Location: 225 E 2nd Street
Developer: Formerly Davenport Museum of Art
Cost: $48.5 million
Category: Museum
Status: Completed in 2005
Description: Designed by David Chipperfield, the Figge has one of the largest collections of both Haitian and Mexican Colonial art outside of those countries. The Figge is the successor to the Davenport Museum of Art, which was the first municipal art gallery in the United States when it opened in 1925.



8.)The Skybridge
Location: Crossing River Drive between Main and Brady Streets
Developer: City of Davenport
Cost: $7 million
Category: Skybridge/Observation Point, controversial structure
Status: Completed in 2005
Description: The Skybridge was part of the original River Renaissance project, and was designed to get people across River Drive (Highway 61/Highway 67) and onto Davenport's riverfront, thereby further connecting downtown with the river. There was also some intent to connect downtown to the casino, which hasn't been very successful. The Skybridge includes an LED lighting system, and is open 24/7. It has become the focal point for the local debate between people for and against city money being used for downtown amenities and incentives.



9.)Davenport Lofts, Phase 1
Location: 427 Iowa Street
Developer: Alexander Company
Cost: $12.3 million
Category: Industrial to Residential Adaptive Reuse
Status: Completed in 2005
Description: Phase 1 consisted of the Crescent Macaroni building and the Waterloo Mills building, with a combined total of 73 apartments. The Crescent building was a cookie, cracker, and macaroni factory built around 1912, and the Waterloo Mills building was a former Rock Island Lines freight depot. Formerly the home of QuadCityImages.


(Photo Coming Soon)
10.)Bucktown Center for the Arts
Location: 225 W 2nd Street
Developer: Midcoast Fine Arts
Cost: $2.4 million
Category: Gallery Space, Retail, Residential
Status: Completed in 2005
Description: This former furniture store, built in 1915, now includes 2 floors of art gallery and retail spaces, combined with some live-work spaces. The 3rd floor houses the Midwest Writing Center and some residential spaces, and the 4th floor is residential. The building has spaces ranging from tiny up to about 2000 square feet, with nearly all of them currently rented to artists, photographers, jewelry makers, etc.



11.)Federal Courthouse Renovations
Location: 131 E 4th Street
Developer: United States Government
Cost: $14 million
Category: Government
Status: Completed in 2006
Description: This project renovated the 1933 Federal Building for its modern use as a US District Courthouse. It sits along Davenport's 4th Street, which is becoming known as the Government Corridor for its mixture of city, county, state, and federal services.



12.)Adler Theatre Stage Expansion
Location: 136 E 3rd Street
Developer: City of Davenport
Cost: $9 million
Category: Theater
Status: Completed in 2006
Description: The stage was expanded rearward, which actually required the demolition of half of one wing of the 10 story Mississippi Hotel building. This is only visible from the back of the building, as the side of the wing along Brady Street was left intact. This expansion allows the Adler to bring in full Broadway-style shows, whereas before shows were forced to show smaller productions due to the cramped stage.



13.)Davenport Skatepark
Location: Centennial Park, near Myrtle Street
Developer: City of Davenport
Cost: $1.2 million
Category: Recreation
Status: Completed in 2006, Concession/Restroom pavilion to be completed in 2008 or 2009
Description: This 30,000 square foot skatepark is one of the largest in the Midwest, and plans are underway to add spectator areas, a pavilion that includes restrooms and concessions, and 24 hour lighting and security.



14.)CityView Apartments
Location: 321 E 7th Street
Developer: McDonnell and Associates
Cost: Unknown
Category: Residential Renovation
Status: Completed in 2006
Description: This renovated 1915 building is located on the northern fringe of downtown, and includes 35 luxury apartments overlooking downtown and the Mississippi River.



15.)Davenport Lofts, Phase 2 (4th Street Lofts)
Location:320 E 4th Street
Developer: Alexander Company
Cost: $10.5 million
Category: Industrial to Residential Adaptive Reuse
Status: Completed
Description: Alexander Company is now looking at different options for a 3rd residential development in the Crescent Warehouse District. The 4th Street Lofts contain 53 apartments, with a mixture of market-rate and limited-income units.



16.)Mississippi Lofts (New picture coming soon)
Location: 106 E 3rd Street
Developer: J&T Development
Cost: $8.5 million
Category: Residential renovation
Status: Completed in 2007
Description: The historic Mississippi Hotel had been used as low quality apartments prior to the Adler Theatre renovation, and were completed renovated during and after the Adler construction. Built in 1931, the Mississippi Hotel was at that time one of the jewels of downtown, along with the nearby Blackhawk Hotel.



17.)Davenport Police Station (new picture coming soon)
Location: 416 N Harrison Street
Developer: City of Davenport
Cost: $20.3 million
Category: Government
Status: Completed in 2007, parking garage to be completed in 2008
Description: Replaced a former card dealership that was renovated for use as a temporary 10-year police station, 29 years ago. This building has a green roof and should be Iowa's first LEED certified government building. It is also connected by skywalk to the Scott County Courthouse and Jail across Ripley Street.



18.)Scott County Courthouse/Jail expansion and renovation
Location: 400 W 4th Street
Developer: Scott County
Cost: $29.7 million
Category: Government
Status: Completed in 2008
Description: The oldest part of the Scott County Jail was built in 1898, with the aluminum-clad Scott County Courthouse being built in 1955, and an addition connecting the two built in 1983. In 2004, Scott County residents passed a referendum to expand the jail courthouse complex, along with the Jail Annex located several miles to the north, to bring total capacity to 500 beds. A referendum in 1998 to demolish the existing jail and build a new 6 story structure for $48 million was defeated, causing a revised plan to renovate the existing buildings.



19.)The Freight House
Location: 421 W River Drive
Developer: Jeff Johnson
Cost: Around $1 million
Category: Restaurants, Entertainment
Status: Under Construction, Completion in 2008
Description: This former Freight House has a long history of failed restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, but the current effort is probably the most ambitious yet. The building will include Penguin's Comedy Club (which has already moved in from its former location at Bettendorf's Isle of Capri casino), a sports bar, an upscale restaurant, and a piano bar.



20.)Riverwalk Lofts
Location: 420 W River Drive
Developer: MetroPlains
Cost: $8 million
Category: Industrial to Residential Adaptive Reuse
Status: Under construction
Description: All 42 units will be income-restricted tax-credit apartments. This building was formerly the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center, and is located across River Drive from the Freight House complex.



21.)Putnam and Park Building renovations
Location: 104 W 2nd Street
Developer: Sunstone Properties Inc
Cost: Estimated at $2 million
Category: Retail, Office
Status: Under construction
Description: The Parker and Putnam buildings sit and the East and West ends of the 100 block of 2nd Street, across from the Skybridge Courtyard. The Parker Building, at 2nd and Brady, has had its first floor retail vacant for years, despite being at one of the major intersections of downtown Davenport. One of the tenants rumored to be moving into the newly renovated space is a 24 hour fitness center.


(Photo coming soon)
22.)7th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services
Location: 605 Main Street
Developer: State of Iowa DOC
Cost: $10.5 million
Category: Government
Status: Approved, Estimated Completion in August 2009
Description: The six story structure will replace the building currently used for DOC services and halfway housing. The new structure will be built next to the original structure, a former hotel with mold problems, that will then be demolished. This location was chosen after a failed attempt to renovate a building on W 4th Street. The neighbors felt their area was already struggling without having a 120-bed halfway house nearby.



23.)Capitol Theater renovation
Location: 311 Ripley Street
Developer:
Cost: Estimated at $3 million
Category: Theater
Status: Proposed/Under construction?
Description: Seating around 1500, Downtown Davenport's "other theater," also has a long history and beautiful architecture. Plans call for a gradual renovation, while bringing in shows too big for the Redstone Room and too small for the 2000+ seat Adler Theatre.



24.)Blackhawk Hotel Renovation
Location: 200 E 3rd Street
Developer: Restoration St. Louis
Cost: Estimated at $25 million
Category: Mixed Use, Hotel, Convention, Residential, Restaurant
Status: Proposed, waiting for transfer of building from Isle of Capri.
Description: The Blackhawk is one of the most important buildings downtown, and has been allowed to deteriorate by the Isle of Capri Casino corporation. It was never reopened after a February 2006 fire caused by a meth lab operating out of a hotel room. The building is currently waiting transfer to Restoration St. Louis, which plans a boutique hotel, condos, retail, and a mixture of other uses to work with the adjacent River Center. The Blackhawk Hotel is where Cary Grant stayed on the night of his death in Davenport.



25.)LeClaire Park Reconstruction (click image for full size sketch)
Location: Mississippi riverfront from Perry to Ripley Streets
Developer: City of Davenport
Cost: Estimated at $11 million
Category: Park
Status: Unknown, waiting on Isle of Capri's future plans, if any, for the riverfront casino
Description: This project was created with a considerable amount of public input during a time when it looked like the Isle of Capri's Rhythm City Casino was going to be moving off of its riverfront location. IOC has recently stated that Davenport's casino will be their smaller QC location, so the current status of this project is very much up in the air.



26.)John Forrest Block Condos
Location: 401 W 4th
Developer: Highland Brothers Investments
Cost: $2 million
Category: Retail, Residential
Status: Unknown
Description: Despite constant reassurances that the project is on track, little progress has been seen on this in the past year. This building has been symbolic of downtown Davenport's blight, and many people are looking forward to its eventual renovation.

[capitalcityguy]

Nice rundown of projects. Congrats to the Davenport! I need to take a weekend trip there soon and check it all out.