More CityView Stuff

Today's QCT has an article about the CityView Apartments. Judging by the rainy pictures, I'd say they must have checked them out yesterday. Probably just a coincidence... I'm sure Matt McDonnell is happy about all the publicity, at least.

Here's the article.

Weekend Open Thread

It sure looks good on a map to have city streets laid out perfectly east and west, but danged if it isn't a pain in the eyeballs driving home at sunrise.

Also, just for the fun of it, here's a picture of this beautiful spring morning.

CityView Apartments

Yesterday I had the opportunity to get a tour of the new CityView Apartments, located at 7th and Iowa. I was shown the building by the owner, Matthew McDonnell. As many of you know, this building has a long and unfortunate past as the Courtland Apartments. Nearly all of you will be pleased to know that Mr. McDonnell is doing this project completely without taxpayer's money in any form. No city deals, no tax-credits, no low income housing credits, no historic credits. Considering the past of the building, filled with public money and wasteful failures, this is probably a popular decision.

These are luxury apartments. They aren't cheap, but they are very, very nice. They're also a completely different, more traditional style compared the industrial loft style of the Alexander properties. The building is made up of 36 1 and 2 bedroom apartments, ranging in price from $650 to $975 a month. The kitchens really struck me as the leading indicator of the "luxury" status of the apartments. Porcelain and ceramic tile countertops, ceramic tile floors in the kitchens and bathrooms, flat range ovens with built in microwaves, etc. They also have very nice woodgrain cabinets, and they fit in well with the luxury style. While the Davenport Lofts have extremely nice kitchens also, they are a bit more utilitarian in keeping with the style of the buildings.


The building is roughly U-shaped, but during one of the previous renovations, a center public space was built in the middle of the "U." The 2nd floor has railings overlooking the first floor common room, and the 4th floor overlooks the 3rd floor common room. I was especially impressed with how nice these rooms were, especially the 3rd floor room. They are big, with several groupings of tables and/or chairs. Because of the design of the building, only 8 apartments face each of the 2 big common rooms, so it seems like you could have a good atmosphere in there. Mr. McDonnell said they considered a pool table for one of the rooms, but decided that it had too much risk for noise complaints. They are both expected to have wireless internet access. Also, they will allow up to two pets. (Hear that WindingHills?)

The whole place has really been cleaned up, and I realized later that I should have asked if there were any "Before" pictures. There's a rooftop deck that has an amazing view from top of the hill. The main offices of McDonnell and Associates Rental Properties will also be located in the lower level of the building. There are enough off-street parking places for all residents, including 18 garaged parking spaces available for an extra fee. Matt really emphasized his commitment to maintaining a good environment with good residents, and certainly didn't come across as the type of landlord to let things slide as long as the rent is paid. Obviously I'm extremely happy about this, as another 36+ well-behaved residents added to the area should really help the momentum of the whole east side of downtown.

Click thumbnails for larger images

After my hour-long tour, we spent 2 hours talking city politics and apartment stuff, and that really deserves its own post sometime. I'll summarize it by saying that I wish Mr. McDonnell had as much impact on elections as the QCRPA has lately.

We should all be cheering for this project, and for a long-needed success story for the Courtland.
The website for the CityView apartments can be found at CityViewDavenport.com.

Coming Tomorrow: Cityview

I just spent 3 hours getting the tour and talking to the owner of the new CityView apartments in the former Courtland. I was impressed with both the building and Mr. McDonnell. I'll put together some pictures and impressions tonight and post them in the morning.

Some Random Things

Any more reactions from the public input meeting last night? Were citizens angry in general, angry at city staff, or pretty calm and reasonable about the issue? Did the landlords show up in force to defend the measure? I wasn't able to attend, but here's the QCTimes article about it.

QCTimes.com has got some artist's renderings up of the proposed Pierce School redevelopment. I don't know if they were in the printed newspaper, I just know they weren't in the online version when I read it the other day.

I predict about a million comments disagreeing with this letter to the editor...

Hopefully coming to this space in the next week or two: Images and my impression of the Cityview Apartments. Might be one of the few places with a better overall view of downtown than mine.

This one (CNN article) has nothing to do with the QC in particular, but I'm both a computer nerd and a Beatles fan, so it appeals to me. Back in 1991 Apple the computer maker and Apple the Beatles' record company agreed that they could both be Apple, since one makes good music and the other (at the time) only made sort of crappy computers. Nobody's stepping on anybody's toes or business. Now suddenly Apple computers has become Apple iPods and iTunes and music, and the original Apple is a bit upset. The case goes to court today, and one tidbit that has come out is that the judge hearing the case owns an iPod. It'll be interesting to see the result of this one.

I'm thinking of putting together a blog-fans team for the Downtown Cleanup Day on May 11th. Let me know if you're interested.

Public Input Meeting

From this notice at QCTimes.com:

City of Davenport staffers will host a meeting at 5:30 p.m. today at the Friendly House, 1221 Myrtle St., to solicit residents’ input on the upcoming switch of rental inspections and environmental enforcement to the Davenport Fire Department.

All the people you love to hate will be there, Malin, Clayton, Mike Loos... strangely enough even though none of them came up with this wacky plan, they get to take the heat for it.

Any-Day 5th Street Traffic Report:

Blocked, as usual.

It took the poor guy about 45 minutes just to get to that point. The loading docks of that building were clearly designed in the days of 24 foot trailers and not 53's. Its not a far cry from that hallway scene in Austin Powers. I don't know if 5th Street isn't technically a street there, or if the business has some kind of variance for blocking the street on and off throughout the day, every day. Oh well, it'll be condos in a few years anyway.

I'll make you a deal

As soon as everyone stops calling it the "Bridge to Nowhere", I'll stop calling people "againsters."

If you consider a riverfront park along the mighy Mississippi to be nowhere, then I don't know what you consider somewhere.

Sunday Discussion Thread

Anything but downtown stuff, there's plenty of discussion of that 2 posts down. Not that I ever enforce anything...

Being the victim of a crime is now a crime?

From this article in the QCTimes:

"Car owners may want to carefully check out the person driving their vehicle because of a new ordinance proposed for Scott County... ...Vehicle owners, including those who lease cars or trucks, will be liable for a simple misdemeanor for fleeing a peace officer after being ordered to stop. Fines will be assessed at $250 for the first offense and $500 for any subsequent ones.Authorities will photograph the license plate with video cameras mounted in patrol cars and then track down the owners, Conard said. If the vehicle is rented or leased, the person’s whose name is on the agreement is liable for it. “This will discourage officers from chasing the cars, but it also makes the car owner liable for civil penalties,” the sheriff said. "

Maybe the article isn't explaining it properly, but it sounds like if someone steals your car and runs from the cops, you'll be charged with a misdemeanor. The problem that I believe is causing this new law is that criminals know about Davenport and other cities' rules on police chases. If its not a forcible felony, DPD won't chase you. So if you're about to get pulled over, just floor it and evade the police, who are required to stop and turn off their engine. Then call the police and report your car stolen. You can even say you loaned it to some unknown or made up people, and then you don't know what happened to it. This proposed ordinance would charge the vehicle owners for basically allowing their cars to be used in eluding the police. Maybe there's some exception for people whose cars have ACTUALLY been stolen, but I don't see how there could be. You'd essentially need a seperate trial to decide whether someone was just claiming they didn't have possession of the car when it was running from the police, or someone whose car was actually stolen from them and then used to elude the police. Maybe some people with more knowledge of county politics and ordiances can fill me in.

I would suggest a better solution would be to return discretion over whether to pursue or not back to the officer.

Repetition Does Not Equal Truth

A common refrain from the againsters is "we're spending all this money downtown, and nothing is coming of it." I hear this said constantly on the blogs, on the QCTimes.comments, at Hamerlinck's meeting, etc.

Its not true.

Downtown is doing much, much better than it was before River Renaissance. Driving through it tonight, there were people walking on almost every block. A new coffee shop just opened up in the former Java Hut. A new restaurant/bar just opened next door to another new bar, Shenanigans. The Mode gallery recently opened up on 3rd, and I could see several people browsing in there this evening. Final Fridays brings out hundreds of artists and art fans to the Bucktown Center for the Arts every month. Centro is always busy, and I often see large crowds at Mojo's listening to live music. Ad Group relocated to downtown, Chenhalls Staffing moved from Brady down the hill to 2nd street, and Living Passions opened up a studio/coffee shop. Developers are suddenly interested in redeveloping new areas of downtown, including the proposed market district.

The Davenport Lofts project is bringing hundreds of new residents to downtown. Alexander Company has said that they got interested in downtown Davenport because of our commitment shown through River Renaissance. The second phase of their loft apartments is under construction now, bringing additional local construction jobs with it. Secondary effects from the Alexander development include redevelopment of the Courtland into luxury apartments overlooking downtown. Houses around the area are being renovated, or at least re-sided. There are plans to demolish the old cement plan that Bill Wundram gets so upset about. All the new downtown residents are increasing the chances for more downtown commercial activity, including the possibility of a grocery store. The future has potential for additional mixed use development in the area between 4th and Federal and Iowa and River Drive, including the Crossings project under discussion. The Mississippi Hotel renovation will bring even more residents downtown, increasing street life and commercial demand.

You folks who oppose everything can keep telling yourselves that downtown is all empty museums and bridges to nowhere, but you're fooling yourselves.

River Renaissance is working.

Took this coming up the stairs yesterday morning after work.

Around Town today

I stopped out at the Quad City Suzuki grand opening to see what the free car contest was about. It was one of those "keep your hand on the car" things, and the contestants had already been chosen. I think I could do pretty well at one of those, but I don't know if I'd miss work for one. The Mayor was there, and the D1 redcoats, along with the Bettendorf Chamber of Commerce and some other group of matching blazer-wearing folks. Maybe the CEO of Suzuki America was so impressed that he'll build his next auto plant here.

The hole out past 53rd between Brady and Welcome Way for what I believe is the new gateway/welcome sign is enormous. I was going to stop for a few pictures, but it was rush hour and that didn't seem prudent.

I am curious how Moline plans to pay for its $7 million Ben Butterworth Parkway reconstruction if the entire state of IL can't scrap together $15 million for the WIU campus that would anchor it. If Rock Island County homeowners were unwilling to pay a few bucks for Blackhawk College, what are the chances they want to spend 7 million bucks on a nice front yard for WIU: QC?

Shootout at the Crestwood Corral / Open Thread

It was either too late at night, or deemed unimportant, but it didn't make the QCTimes. The trouble's already starting up out in the warzone known as Crestwood Village and Northwood Village. Multiple 911 calls of shots fired, people seen carrying either a shotgun or BB gun, (big difference) and people scattering into apartments. A number of police units responded, only to find a gas leak in addition to their shooting problem. Firefighters were already on the way to a possiblly dangerous area in case of shooting victims, only to hear that more companies were being called out because of a natural gas leak. Despite the problems at 14th and Gaines, the real race for most police calls to a single area is probably between Heatherton and the Northwood/Crestwood Villages. Dahl employees will probably be out this morning checking their cars for bullet holes.

And its not even hot out yet.

Anyone who even considers cutting police should have to spend a night out there this summer when its 85 degress out and tensions are high.

More Davenport Lofts Phase 2 Images

A forklift unloading building materials last week. You can see the plastic sheeting covering the interior courtyard in the lower building.

Similar image, only after the first floor loading dock area has been torn off the back. Try coming home from work and sleeping through the sound of concrete being smashed...

I'm looking forward to the point when I can get inside pictures.

Random Stuff / Open Thread

Some East Village Shops lack licenses -QCTimes
This only reinforces my feelings about the area. Fortunately these "acceptable," but delinquent, businesses (including Mrs. Winborn's) will be given time to get their licenses before we implement the anti-Orozco moratorium. That seems about right.

One thing I forgot to mention in my post about the 2nd Ward meeting Saturday: Aside from the kids mourning our occupation of the Children's section, Alderman Hamerlinck and I were possibly the only people there under the age of 30. I wish everyone my age had an interest in local politics and city issues.

I've recently started using a website that tells me how people found my site. It provides constant amusement.
Today some of the Google searches people used to get here:
(Clicking these takes you to the Google results)
Strip Clubs near the Quad Cities -interesting
moosie -#2 on Google for people searching for moosie... neat
skybridge to nowhere -Ugh
Wayne Hean -at least I didn't make the first page

Also, I was serious in my earlier post about finding out what's going on with the building (Possibly called the John Forrest block?) at 4th and Brady. Somebody has to have read or heard about it.

March 2nd Ward Meeting

Yesterday I attended Alderman Hamerlinck's ward meeting out at the new library on Fairmount. I missed his previous meeting because I didn't notice the announcement of it until too late. Yesterday's meeting was a far cry from his first 2nd ward meeting that I attended in January. Around 20 people showed up for that one, while I would say over 50 were at yesterday's meeting. We had to move out of the room originally scheduled for the meeting and basically take over the children's section of the main library room. I don't know much about Lawanda Roudebush, but she has been at both of the Saturday morning meetings I've been to, and doesn't seem to mind physical labor. That gives her an extra point in my book.
Once again, my pro-downtown, pro-Malin views were extremely unpopular at the meeting, but once again I kept quiet since its not my ward. However, I suspect at least a third of the people at the meeting were from wards other than two. I did pipe up when Shawn mentioned that there were no full buildings downtown, saying that the Davenport Lofts are full, but then he added the qualifier that he meant commercial buildings. On that charge he is quite correct. The meeting was pretty much a series of Shawn relaying the last month's happenings with a consistent reaction of outrage from the people at the meeting. It sort of became a refrain to hear "but it was 5-5 and the Mayor broke the tie." People seemed quite angry at this, forgetting that the city had democratically elected all 11 people involved in those votes. Apparently they only like representative democracy if their side wins.

There was a lot of talk about how the city is spending money on things downtown when they can't really afford it, and about the Freight House project being included in the bond issue along with things the citizens have been waiting years for, such as Northwest Boulevard street repairs. One of the interesting parts of the meeting came when Shawn asked what he should do in an upcoming bond vote for renovating the Annie Wittenmyer complex. The issue was basically that he feels its a good project, but hates to do something that could raise taxes yet again. I was impressed to note that most people supported the project. My usual issue with "againsters" is that they aren't for anything, but these people didn't have that problem. Growing up a few blocks from there, I of course would like to see Annie Wittenmyer in good shape, but I'm for most things anyway...

The one thing that bothered me at the meeting was the constant disapproval of anything being done downtown. I was at most, if not all, of the RiverVision meetings, and these people must not have been. RiverVision did not cause a consensus on the hotel or casino, but the one thing people agreed on at the meetings is that we should start on the project right away. I remember one guy standing up and saying something along the lines of "let's get started" to overwhelming applause. All 10 Aldermen on the previous council voted to add the RiverVision plan to the comprehensive plan. If people in the 2nd ward are so against RiverVision, why weren't they at the meetings?

Alderman Hamerlinck definitely has the support of the anti-Malin, anti-downtown crowd, and seems to be one of the leaders of the 5 againster-types on the council. The other leader, Alderman Lynn, was also at the meeting yesterday. Many of Lynn and Hamerlinck's ideas make good sense, especially for using St. Ambrose students to do the work we often pay $50+ an hour consultants to do. The only issue there is making sure they aren't all just Lynn loyalists. George Nickolas was also at the meeting, but everything he said sounded like he was running a campaign for best alderman Davenport ever had. I would say some of Niky's supporters have switched to being Shawn supporters, so it was interesting to see him at the meeting. There were a lot more important things talked about at the meeting, but this post is already getting way too long. Maybe I'll put up a Part 2 later, or else anybody feel free to put in their observations from the meeting in the comments.

St. Patrick's Day Parade

I've been up for 24 hours straight, including a difficult-to-sit-through 2nd ward meeting, so I think I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves. More on Shawn's meeting later; I'm going to sleep.

Coming soon: What?

I'm saddened to admit it, but I somehow have not heard any mention of this project in the QCTimes. It was probably in there, but I must have missed it. My roommate's parents saw something about it on the news, so I'm probably the last to know.

Can someone fill me in on the plans for this building, or hopefully this whole block?

3rd Street is ready

Hopefully I'll get up in time to get pictures of the parade, or maybe just stay up and go to Shawn's ward meeting also.