A private company and community college district are joining forces for a major development project in downtown Davenport. Today the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and Restoration St. Louis announced plans to convert one site into a classroom building, and turn another into student housing.
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges Chancellor, Don Doucette, says the 50 million dollar project will accomplish his goal of consolidating classes and offices that are now in two downtown buildings.
"We're bringing this all together into one purpose-built campus that's highly efficient and highly attractive, and will be a place tha'll attract students into the quality programs we have there."
Currently operations are split between the Kahl Building and the Transit Center. The new classrooms would be located along Third Street - between Brady and Main - in the Midwest Bank and First Federal Bank buildings. And the Kahl Building would be converted into apartments on the upper floors with retail and a restored Capitol Theater on the ground floor.
"Downtown Davenport is in the middle of a revitalization that we hope not only to participate in, but to help catalyze and that's to create it as a center of attraction for young people, and a center of attraction for young talent. This campus is envisioned specifically in response to that."
Doucette says the bank buildings could be renovated and re-open in about two years (fall 2016), then the conversion of the Kahl Building could be completed the following year (fall 2017).
(drawing of the renovated Kahl Building courtesy of the EICC)