$1.16M OK’d to renovate new Davenport Junior Theatre space

The process to secure a temporary home for soon-to-be-displaced Davenport Junior Theatre programming took another step forward Wednesday, Feb. 26, after the Davenport City Council OK’d $1.165 million to support the project. Approval of the funding, which will come from interest on the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, follows the council’s OK on […]

The process to secure a temporary home for soon-to-be-displaced Davenport Junior Theatre programming took another step forward Wednesday, Feb. 26, after the Davenport City Council OK’d $1.165 million to support the project.

Approval of the funding, which will come from interest on the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, follows the council’s OK on Dec. 11, 2024, of a lease agreement with the Davenport Community School District for the temporary use of The Kimberly Center property. The building at 1002 W. Kimberly Road will house some junior theatre operations. The new location was needed after the conditional conveyance of the Annie Wittenmeyer complex to AW Holdings was approved by the council on Jan. 24, 2024.  That development company with deep Quad Cities ties plans to turn the historic Wittenmyer property and other buildings there into a $40 million, 99-unit senior and family housing complex. Among the existing cottages – all part of the former orphan's home – are buildings at the north end of the complex the Theatre currently uses for classrooms, programming and storage of its prop and scenery collection.  The real estate transaction for the Wittenmeyer property is expected to close in early 2025 after which the facility must be vacated of any remaining uses, a city council project summary said. That does not, however, include the Mary Fluhrer Nighswander Theatre, which hosts productions staged by what is the second oldest children's theatre group in America.  Junior Theatre can continue to use the former chapel for performance space indefinitely, the summary said. Three Wittenmeyer campus complexes also may be available for lease by the city parks and recreation program until Autumn 2025.

Design work begins

As the lease efforts moved forward, city staff have begun working with Bray Architects to provide plans and specifications for the potential renovations to the new space that will house some of those relocated functions, the summary said. “It’s important to note the resolution simply allocated ARPA interest money for the project. It was not a resolution on any project plans or specifications,” Denise Hyntka, Davenport’s chief communications officer, told the QCBJ today (Feb. 27). “Currently, we don’t have a public timeline to share, but information is coming as we continue our work.” Here is where that funding will go:

• Architect and engineering services. 
• Renovation costs. 
• Furniture and storage needs. 
• Procuring a box truck for transporting scenery. 
• Separating the utilities at the Annie Wittenmeyer complex to allow for the continued use of the theatre. 

The process for securing a new space for Junior Theatre was a challenging one that, at one time, included a plan to relocate its operations to the former Younkers at NorthPark Mall. But that proved to be cost-prohibitive and leaders went back to the drawing board. The vacant department store was evaluated as a short-term solution, but it was found to not be move-in ready, according to the city. In addition, the required work included zoning changes, code updates and other renovations, totaling more than $12 million. “After community input was gathered and elected officials had the opportunity to score the highest-ranking results, staff put together a proposal allocating the monies,” the council summary said. “While there have been multiple variations of the allocation proposal, funding for the Junior Theatre temporary relocation project remained a constant goal.“