The Blackhawk Hotel renovation is coming along, including all new windows. Anyone know whether they're going to stay white or be painted?
The new 7th Judicial District building towering over the current one, and downtown's (relatively) new Crescent Cleaners location.
I've always loved both the law offices just east of Brady, and this huge residence on East 6th Street. Hopefully with Palmer's growth, the Crescent Warehouse District, and the CityView nearby, this neighborhood just north of downtown can really take off as well. There are certainly plenty of potential infill locations. I've already heard a rumor of a new eating establishment coming to Brady.
A different view of downtown, mostly featuring the Blackhawk and MidAmerican buildings.
40 comments:
Awwww finally! The FBI is in town poking around the Rock Island County Clerks office. Nawwww, not in Rock Island County! Really? The corrupt R.I. County Democrats house of cards are about to come crumbling down after years of illegal activity/election Fraud. Send Dick Leibovitz, Terronez, and the gang to jail & throw away the keys! Buh-Bye tricky Dick!
The reason I now reside in Iowa!
? dude, I think you have the wrong blog.
QCI,
See they are moving dirt around for new Palmer Apartments. Any info on that?
Yes they are. I took a picture of that too, but it wasn't all that exciting.
If you go to this page, and hover over Villas at Palmer, it shows an early rendering. Click on that and it talks a little about it, and shows a picture of a house being demolished...
whats up!, I am new to this site. This website's awesome, i've learned loads from it already!
Does the cleaners ever shovel their walks and parking so it looks like they are open?
Nice shot of that beautiful law office! The progress is marching along at the Blackhawk, and who would have ever thought seeing a boarded up Forrest Block would be good news? :)
Restoration St. Louis is in violation of the city code by installing those boards on the windows of the Forrest Block. The code says that the boards must FIRST BE PAINTED.
Seems like if you are a developer from St. Louis that the City Inspectors look the other direction.
Also if you are a laundrymat on Iowa Street, or an abandoned hospital on 29th Street, or many other buildings in town... the city doesn't seem to get too excited too fast about unpainted plywood.
Of course, that doesn't fit your anti-downtown point, so I understand why you wouldn't mention it.
Sounds like Keith pissed off at progress again.
I believe that the city took care of the pink poodle.
I can't speak to 29th, as I never have a reason to go down that street.
The old hospital on 29th Street was demolished months ago! Come on people, lets stay in the present!
I'm just pointing out that there's plenty of precedent for unpainted board-ups being ignored by the city.
I wonder if the same people who complain about any city regulation that infringes on property rights (design guidelines anyone?) also post things complaining about unpainted plywood. Are you admitting that what others do with their own property affects others and must be regulated?
Here's why you are confused about the painting of the boards QCI.
Davenport just passed that legislation in the past couple years. It only applies to board-ups after it was passed, and the ones that were previously boarded are grandfathered in, and the city can't force them to be painted.
Just to make sure that I was right about the Laundry, I went by it this morning, and sure enough, all the boards have been n-e-a-t-l-y
painted. They are painted white in an attempt to match the color of the building which is also white.
The plywood was put up because the locals kept breaking them out. I don't blame them for doing it, I would have too.
The locals? By locals do you mean the homeless and drug dealers that roam in that area?
You said it, I didn't! Though there are a lot of rentals and "hoods" in that area. Educated folks call it a "cultural" act, I call it total disrespect to society.
I don't care about the plywood covering the windows and I don't care about the design changes. It is not my money.
QCI, do I need your permission to redo my bathroom and install new extrior doors?
Nitrous55
Also, those of us who live near the Poodle think you racists should stay North of Locust. The area is not full of the "lesser races" that you think live there.
Nitrous55
If the shoe fits....! Being territorial is not the answer to a better Davenport. I for one look at the whole picture regardless of where I live. Folks like you that feel every structural change that doesn't directly effect yourselves is ok no matter what it looks like should be aware. The concept of ones property value effecting the surrounding properties should always be a concern. If you accept the concept of living "in the hood" as acceptable conditions, then you need to move to Rock Island along with Bill Lynn.
This certainly took a strange turn. I don't think that Nitrous was accepting living in "the hood," I think he was making the point that that neighborhood is not as bad as some may think it is. Of course, I could be misinterpreting what he said.
As far as the boarding up thing, I was just trying to make the point that other buildings around town have stayed unpainted as well. The fact that the examples I used may be dated (demolished, repaired) do not change the fact that its happened in the past. If the ordinance was passed after all of these, then we'll see what the city does with the Forrest Block. Personally I hope that it doesn't stay boarded up more than a few months anyway, so we shouldn't worry about it too much.
I don't think the neighborhood as bas some of you say. Of course, I live in this area. Most of you don't and if you do, do something about it. Let the police know who the bad guys are.
As for worrying about property values, there is more than boarding up windows. What about who buys or moves in a place and the loan amount? Why should the identical house next door to you be sold for more/less than yours? That may affect the value of your property. Let's start a new commission that tells EVERYONE what they can/cannot do to their place and evaluates who can buy or move into a place. Wouldn't want too many "lesser people" in a certain area.
Also, there is nothing that says you cannot put your money where your mouth is and help fix up the place. I'm sure the property owner would appreciate it. Only it is easier to tell others what to do with their money than use your own.
Nitrous55
It's time to lead by example. You first! Go out and buy materials to repair your neighbors house. Me, I'm getting used to the boarded up properties. At least I know who's living there and that they are no threat to me or the family. As for the condition of the neighborhood, ask your alderman why there hasn't been development in the "South of Locust and East of Brady" area. What a mess!
It's a little surprising that the Davenport Historical Commission approved white plastic replacement windows for the Blackhawk Renovation.
Then why worry about whether the boards are painted or not? Why worry about that and not who lives or owns the property around you? Have your little commission dictating what you can do to your proprty and who can have what.
As for deveolpment, I have no clue what you want. We lost a grocery store at the time he came in, he got another to replace it. We also have a small bakery open near the East Village. What more do you want? The area is resdential. If it is crime, I have said it before, the residents need to get involved. The police and the french hat society can only do so much.
As for me doing something, I have helped some of my neighbors with their proprty. I'm not the one complaining about my neighbors (except some cannot figure out those big green containers).
If the area is a mess, start getting some candidates ready to unseat him. Instead of worrying about D-1 taking over, get some candidates to offer different solutions for the area and get them heard by the voters.
Nitrous55
I don't know how that bakery in the East Village stays in business. Not only is she high priced, but the quality of the product is mediocre at best.
The Bakery also has a bad fly problem, and you never know what their feet have been in right before they land on a croller.
If you want a convenient and clean place to buy bakery goods, try the Donuts and More on Brady. The help is really friendly there too.
If the health dept have been to the bakery, then I would expect the health problems will be taken care of.
As for the donut shop on Brady, I always go there for breakfast when I go out of town. Good eats and I like the prices. Prefer them over Krispy Kreame.
Nitrous55
Speaking of donuts, any rumors on where the first Iowa-side Dunkin Donuts will be?
There are some that don't want big government telling people that they must have minimum repair standards on there house, the same people don't want the historic commission telling rehabbers what kind of windows to put on the hotel renovation, and there are some that don't want city inspectors telling them to paint boards before securing a building.
You can bet that the owner of the bakery doesn't appreciate intrusion by big government mandating that it be fly, roach and mice free.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
Dunkin Donuts is attempting to locate near 5-points. They had negoiated on the now closed Starbucks, but Dunkin Donuts Corporate would not approve the site. They are now in discussions with the plaza to the north where cost cutters and the rib place is right on the corner.
The most logical place seems to be where the car dealership went out of business that sets between Division and Hickory Grove. It would make access to a donut shop very easy.
Now that's a fast answer. I assume a drive-thru is a necessity for them?
After all the bickering, has any one reported to the city on the unpainted boards?
Nitrous55
Certainly not me. I think that for now, they look better unpainted. Once the plywood weathers and turns grey, then paint them. At the moment the fresh new plywood implies action and progress! Or.. a recent fire, I suppose.
I agree, but unpainted seems to affect property values. I assumed, like crime, hardly anyone would. I'll report it either later today or do it next week.
Nitrous55
If you would have just voted in a city council that cared about how vacant buildings look, you wouldn't need to call the inspections department.
Next time you need to get the right people to run, and the right people elected.
I don't vote cuz D-1 and the sixth ward decide the elections. Just like you and Cruiser.
Nitrous55
If my calendar is correct along with my thermometer, its FEBRUARY and COLD outside. Who paints outside during the winter?
Heard a rumor that a new doughnut shop may be going in at the southwest corner of E Locust and Bridge Av.
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