The Annie Wittenmyer campus in Davenport was once home to 12,000 orphans dating back to the Civil War. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
By late 2026, Davenport leaders and project developers could begin welcoming families and seniors to live in inviting, affordable remodeled cottages on the Annie Wittenmyer Campus that over the years was home to 12,000 orphans. That’s according to a preliminary timeline for an ambitious historic redevelopment plan that project manager Chris Ales anticipates will invest […]
By late 2026, Davenport leaders and project developers could begin welcoming families and seniors to live in inviting, affordable remodeled cottages on the Annie Wittenmyer Campus that over the years was home to 12,000 orphans.That’s according to a preliminary timeline for an ambitious historic redevelopment plan that project manager Chris Ales anticipates will invest $40 million in the nationally and locally recognized historic site. The plan to develop 99 housing units on the campus took a significant step forward on Wednesday, Jan. 24, when the Davenport City Council voted unanimously to approve conditional sale of the Annie Wittenmyer campus to AW Holdings LLC for $1. That conditional site control gives the developer roughly a year to get the financing needed to do the project.If, as expected, the Davenport Planning and Zoning Board recommends rezoning the property at its Tuesday, Feb. 6, meeting, the city will host a pair of public hearings by the committee of the whole and the council later this month, with a final vote on rezoning approval expected by late March. According to Mr. Ales, the property will be owned and developed by Jim Bergman, who also owns multiple properties in Davenport, including downtown’s Kahl Building; and Brian Fritz, owner of Pioneer Property Management Co. Once completed, the Wittenmyer project would transform 27 acres of the 32-acre property in the 2800 block of Eastern Avenue, make a dent in the region’s affordable housing gap and help the city find a new use for 27 or so – depending on how you count them – mostly rundown buildings that are costly and difficult to maintain.Deferred maintenance costs are among the reasons the City of Davenport had been working for years to find a developer interested in transforming the property and its deteriorating buildings, said Bruce Berger, Davenport’s director of community and economic development.The public works department did an internal analysis about a year ago that identified work that needed to be done just to stop the deterioration of the buildings, Mr. Berger said. The analysis put that cost at between $4 million to $7 million. It could be even higher.From the city’s perspective, simply mothballing the structures “doesn’t really get us anything,” Mr. Berger told the QCBJ. “We don’t get any revenue return from that. We would still own the property and not know what the end use would be.”Annie Turner Wittenmyer CREDIT PBSThat’s in part why well before that internal assessment the city had been searching for a better use for the largely vacant land that was once the site of Civil War Training Camp Roberts and later became the home of the Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home. It was later renamed the Annie Wittenmyer Home in honor of the celebrated Civil War soldier advocate who counted President Lincoln and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant among her friends. The home continued to operate in various incarnations over the years before being shuttered permanently. The city took possession in 1970.The seeds for the current Wittenmyer development project were sown, Mr. Ales said, at the grand opening of the Kahl Building and Capitol Theatre in July of 2023 in Davenport.The renovation of that 1910 downtown building into apartments and the restoration of its stunning and ornate theater “has to be one of the grandest projects I’ve ever undertaken,” Mr. Ales said. “And I have to give thanks to my partners on that project, Jim Bergman and Jeff Goldstein along with his family for their help and support in completing that project in the midst of the pandemic.”It was at that ribbon cutting, Mr. Ales said that Davenport Mayor Mike Matson and Alderman-at-Large Kyle Gripp talked about the need for more affordable housing in the city. Tracking that region-wide housing shortage is tricky, but local leaders pointed the QCBJ to data collected several years ago by the Quad Cities Housing Cluster. The organization estimated the housing gap across the Quad Cities region at 6,645 units.“During subsequent discussions with multiple aldermen, the Annie Wittenmyer campus was suggested,” Mr. Ales added. “Having been a lifelong resident of the Quad Cities, I was familiar with the property and quickly expressed an interest.”The complex’s history played a key part in Mr. Ales and AW Holdings signing onto the project.“The campus’ listing on the National Register makes it eligible for federal and state historic tax credits which are essential in undertaking a historic rehabilitation, so yes, its listing is definitely an advantage and one of many reasons we chose to pursue it,” Mr. Ales said.That history is apparent across the 32 acres which boasts structures dating to the 1800s.Since 1970 when the home was closed due to lack of operating funds and the city took over the property, a series of nonprofits have made their home on the Wittenmyer campus. They include current tenants Davenport Junior Theatre and Tapestry Farms. Both will have to be relocated to accommodate the development. Other buildings on the campus remained empty, and the city sought out other developers to take on the project. Five years ago, for example, Davenport invited developers to tour the campus, share ideas and gauge interest in taking it on, Mr. Berger said. One developer expressed interest, and began drafting plans, but was unable to move forward due to other project responsibilities. Over the years, others envisioned an artist live-work space with cottage shops to sell their work and a colony for musicians complete with performing space. They went nowhere, but the city learned from the experience.For example, one proposal fell through because the developer discovered “it was going to be tough to cash flow,” Mr. Berger said. As a result, the city created an urban revitalization zone “so that we had one more tool that might overcome that financial burden of making the project work.”The cottages at the Annie Wittenmyer Campus would be renovated into affordable housing for seniors and families if a development plan goes ahead. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSONThe current Annie Wittenmyer developers also are seeking to take advantage of Davenport’s Urban Revitalization Tax Credit for the current project. It includes converting many of the cottages to affordable rental housing, including 52 units for seniors and 47 units for families, and Mr. Ales is undeterred by the deterioration apparent in many of those structures.“While buildings typically go through a stage after we start where they look worse than when we started, I am cognizant of their condition before we start – wanting to ensure they are structurally sound or at least not beyond repair,” Mr. Ales said. “Naval Station (in Davenport) was definitely on the brink of being beyond repair, but I believe the buildings at Annie Wittenmyer – excepting those the city plans to demolish – are in good structural condition and ideal for this type of project,” he added.Throughout his career, Mr. Ales has completed multiple successful historic renovations in the Quad Cities including the Kahl Building and Capitol Theatre. He called the transformation of that 1910 downtown building into apartments and restoration of its ornate and beautiful theater “one of the grandest projects I’ve ever undertaken.”The Wittenmyer complex’s history also was part of his current project’s attraction.City leaders, in turn, were attracted to the wealth of experience Mr. Ales boasts in working on historic renovations. So are community leaders, including Tapestry Farm’s Ann McGlynn whose nonprofit will be relocated as the project goes ahead.“We are all behind the project to preserve the Annie Wittenmyer Complex and convert it into affordable housing,” she said. “Chris Ales, the developer, is local and has done a lot of work restoring historic buildings. Without the sort of funds he could receive as a developer, the Annie Wittenmyer Complex and its history would continue to deteriorate.”When asked to list some of his most memorable historic renovations, in addition to the Kahl building, Mr. Ales shared these career highlights with the QCBJ:• St. Katherine’s Living Center: “I am proud of the work we completed on all of them, but St. Katherine’s was my first with its ornate dormers and beautiful chapel – now used as a community room – along with the Renwick House next door, which served as my office at one time with its coursed limestone façade and ornamental iron railings on the roof. Not to mention the marble and granite fireplaces, tall ceilings and oversized solid wood doors in both of these lumber baron homes.”•“The Welch Hotel in Muscatine, Iowa, which is where I grew up on a farm, has a lighted atrium, extensive tile trimmings and unique borrowed lighting on the upper floor, compared to the Hurst Hotel in Maquoketa (which is where my family immigrated to) with its oversized dormers, iron railings on the roof, grand staircase and community room on the top floor overlooking the countryside.”•“The Petersen Mansion on the Marycrest Campus with all its oak woodwork will always hold special memories as we held my mother’s funeral reception there.”•Gold Coast Apartments: “More recently, I have enjoyed living at Gold Coast with its contrasting architectural designs that span decades, as well as working out of the old Kahl mansion.”•Naval Station: “Completing my greatest comeback, saving the Buchanan School/Naval Station in the west end of Davenport from what seemed like an eminent demolition, and where my grandmother had a perfect attendance record for several years, took a great team that shared my vision.”
Wittenmyer Campus history
In 1863 it was the site of Civil War Training Camp Roberts, and was abandoned by the government at the end of the war in 1865. (The site was renamed Camp Kingsman by special order in the 1960s).
The orphan’s home on the 32-acre property was named in 1963 for Annie Wittenmyer, the tireless and influential Civil War patient advocate about whom Gen. Ulysses S. Grant once said, “No soldier on the firing line gave more heroic service than she did.”
Annie Wittenmyer also looked to the welfare of soldiers’ orphaned children. Through her efforts and those of others, more than 150 orphaned children arrived in Davenport on the Steamboat Keithsburg on Nov. 11, 1865, to live at the Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home on the Wittenmyer campus.
The Iowa Legislature voted to take over the home in 1866, appointing Ms. Wittenmyer its first matron.
In 1870, the Annie Wittenmyer home opened to orphaned children of non-veterans.
In 1881, deteriorating buildings were remodeled.
Fire burned the main building on Nov. 7, 1885, and a new administration building was built.
By 1895, there were 458 orphans and cottages were so overcrowded second floors were added to the buildings.
In 1949, the Iowa Legislature renamed the orphan’s home the Iowa Annie Wittenmyer home.
In the 1950s the orphanage transitioned to providing behavioral services and counseling to youth.
Wittenmyer Home closed in 1970 because of insufficient funds to continue to operate it and the City of Davenport took control of the property.
