growing again. I've edited the graph I made back in 2007 to reflect 2007 and 2008's estimated population numbers. I'm not sure what happened last in 2007, but aside from that one outlier year we've had excellent growth since 2003.People from around the Midwest and hopefully around the country are discovering that we have a great mix of amenities, quality of life, history, a relatively healthy economy and low housing prices. We have things that cities larger than us envy. How many metro areas our size have a PGA tour stop, or a nationally recognized water ski troupe, or an art museum designed by a world-famous architect? How many metro areas our size have all of those things and more? While also being in the most affordable 10% (or 1%?) on housing costs? I'd suspect not very many.
Our sustainable growth should make us more attractive to additional residents, businesses, and event planners. If the State of Illinois can every function like like grown ups, we will have rail service to Chicago and a beautiful riverfront university. These 2 pieces can help turn the tide of the Iowa side population growth being offset by stagnant or declining Illinois QC populations. Davenport NOW may entice folks who would otherwise consider TIF-happy LeClaire, and Prairie Heights will become increasingly attractive the more it fills in, and as gas prices climb again. The west side sewer tunnel will open up the west side to large scale businesses and industries that have passed Davenport up in the past. The Blackhawk and Forrest Block projects downtown will hopefully show the amount of pent-up demand for market-rate downtown residential to timid banks and developers. Centennial, Credit Island, Sunderbruch, and Prairie Heights parks will continue to add recreational options to all corners of the city.
All of this sounds pretty good, but a lot of people only want to focus on Pachino Hill, potholes, or speed cameras. I would say the graph above shows that those people's negative outlook is being overshadowed by Davenport's positive growth. Let's keep it that way.
23 comments:
Per Mar is a crime growth business.
more is not always better.
Per Mar has been around for a while. The GA's have been here only recently and crime has gone up since they showed up. Maybe the Alex Jones fans in the Argus were right.
Nitrous55
If you subtract the prostitutes, homeless and gang bangers, that leaves a net population of 70K.
And just think, if we didn't have to work hard to overcome all the negativity being broadcast by folks like 3 of the last 4 commenters, we'd probably be up to 120,000 now.
If you folks hate it here so much, move! You might be surprised to find that you hate it wherever you go, but it'd be much nicer here without you.
Exactly, QCI.
I love Davenport.
I love the river, the peope, the activities. I feel safe, I have a good job. My friends and family in the QC are all wihtin a 25 minute drive.
Not so much as move, but at least do something about it. Try to make it a better place. I keep saying to organize and come up with candidates worth voting for. All they can muster is the name calling.
Davenport is not a bad place. I don't go to a lot of the activities, but as least I have a nice mix to choose from.
Nitrous55
Almost every neighborhood in Davenport is unsafe and has a lazy, loud, litering drug dealer disrupting it. Sometimes two or three. The infastructure is a mess. Until changes are made nothing will improve. No matter how many people move here from Chicago.
You should be the one to move QCI, not the people who demand their government do better.
Why should I move? I love it here.
That's like saying that only people who hate baseball should go to baseball games.
Not to mention the fact that QCI is often seen at community meetings, council meetings, aldermanic ward meetings, etc., both to give input and to report back here.
What are you doing anon at 7:37 a.m. other than venting through your keyboard?
These naysayers just don't get it. They are the MINORITY. There beating there head against a rock.
You can count on one hand how many neighborhoods in the entire QC community see any kind of real violence, and of those neighborhoods, many of which STILL aren't anything compared to what some similar communities deal with.
You must really have never lived anywhere else to deem Davenport, or the Quad-Cities, an unsafe place to live. Seriously. That's just rediculous. For a metro area of this size we do very well. If you're so afraid of any kind of crime, you're going to have to live somehwere a lot more rural than a community of 300,000+
I don't like crime or violence any more than the next guy, but the reality is its going to exist to some degree, and the amount we have here is nothing we need to be terrified over.
The reason that violent crime has increased in Davenport is because the Rock Island Police Chief, and the gentleman who was Mayor up until a few weeks ago really cracked down on these people and ran them over to Davenport where they only get a slap on the wrist for their crimes.
Davenport needs to return the favor.
Now if we could just find a way for the Davenport School to teach proper spelling...
Ugh, *Schools. I'm such a hypocrite.
Boff spellin and tipin.
:)
You are correct 4:31. The Davenport School System can hold their head high as they have turned out some of the finest Per Mar Guards in the world.
7:37. Nothing will change until you get off your butt and get candidates worth voting for, but you won't do that. You sputter out plots by others for the councils that you hate so much.
As for the Per Mar comment, crime has gotten worst (according to the know it alls on crime) since the french hat society moved in. It does make sense if you think about it. They have the revolting eye (symbol of the evil plotters trying to take over Davenport)on their shirts and they were invited by Lynn, supporter of the evil landlords. Send $29.99 to Alex Jones and you can get the DVD that explains it all.
Nitrous55
For some time I have been unimpressed with the intellectual capacity of Image supporters. I wouldn't call them dumb. I wouldn't call them stupid. Just unimpressive.
What is impressive is the Alex Jones DVD detailing how Build-A-Burger along with D-1, rich Bettendorfers, Malin, Lynn and the GA's are plotting to take over Davenport. Just $29.99 gets you the whole story.
Nitrous55
Nitrous must be getting a commission for every DVD he sells for Alex Jones.
That's right. I'm in it for the money. Just like Alex. he would do well tapping in this market. Bunch of do nothings that blame their dissatifaction in their town on tin foil hat plots by "those other people".
Nitrous55
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