Business owners, residents, community leaders and others with a stake in Hilltop Campus Village (HCV) got a sneak peek last week at what the future could hold for the central Davenport neighborhood. More than three dozen supporters attended HCV’s annual meeting on Thursday, June 26, where a team from Streamline Architects presented a first conceptual […]
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Click here to purchase a paywall bypass linkBusiness owners, residents, community leaders and others with a stake in Hilltop Campus Village (HCV) got a sneak peek last week at what the future could hold for the central Davenport neighborhood.
More than three dozen supporters attended HCV’s annual meeting on Thursday, June 26, where a team from Streamline Architects presented a first conceptual plan for possible improvements of the urban commercial district. The program also included a review of the Main Street Iowa district’s accomplishments by HCV Executive Director Brian Kramer and a guest speaker, Dr. Richard Whitaker of Vera French, which is already located and investing in new housing in the neighborhood.
Gathered at one of the Hilltop’s shining stars – the Martin Luther King Interpretative Center at 501 Brady (adjacent to the year-old MLK Park), the annual meeting included a viewing of a new video, produced by Hilltop member KWQC, capturing scenes from life in the Hilltop.
But it was Streamline’s research and potential concepts that stole the show. The East Moline architectural firm, founded by Andrew Dasso, its principal architect, was hired by the HCV board to create a new master plan for Hilltop, which roughly stretches south from 5th Street in downtown to St. Ambrose University’s campus on the north and between Perry to Ripley streets on the east and west.
The crowd of 40 in attendance watched intently as Streamline team members shared architectural renderings of various concepts being explored. The presentation depicted possible improvements such as well-lit commercial areas, new businesses, improved intersections and roads, other safety enhancements and a detailed rendering showing how HCV could activate a north-south alley west of Harrison Street into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly corridor.
Mr. Dasso, who also serves as vice president of the HCV board of directors, acknowledged that the stigma surrounding master plans is that so many “get created, go on a shelf and are never picked up again.”
When complete, the master plan that Streamline creates, most importantly, he said “will provide an implementation schedule for the plan.”
A final master plan is expected by the end of the year.
The crowd of 40 in attendance watched intently as Streamline team members shared architectural renderings of various concepts being explored. The presentation depicted possible improvements such as well-lit commercial areas, new businesses, improved intersections and roads, other safety enhancements and a detailed rendering showing how HCV could activate a north-south alley west of Harrison Street into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly corridor.
Mr. Dasso, who also serves as vice president of the HCV board of directors, acknowledged that the stigma surrounding master plans is that so many “get created, go on a shelf and are never picked up again.”
When complete, the master plan that Streamline creates, most importantly, he said “will provide an implementation schedule for the plan.”
A final master plan is expected by the end of the year.
Neighborhood input
As part of its research, the firm’s architects and designers have been meeting extensively over the past months with a wide range of stakeholders to gather input from those who work, live, go to school or play in the established district. Saloni Patel, Streamline’s senior architect, said planners looked at existing conditions of the area’s infrastructure as well as previous HCV plans as well as separate capital improvement plans of Hilltop occupants St. Ambrose and Palmer College of Chiropractic. Through a public survey of business and property owners, residents, visitors and others, she said “We gathered input on what does the neighborhood want to see? … What concerns do they have?” Ms. Patel said more than 270 people participated. Of the participants responding, she said nearly 60% of the business and property owners have been in the Hilltop less than five years. Asked about frequency of their visits, one-fourth of the respondents admitted they never visit the Hilltop Campus Village. Streamline’s Noah Strausser told the crowd that surveys showed that there is a desire for more businesses, improved safety, increased lighting and safer pedestrian crossing, particularly at Locust and Brady streets, he said. He also overviewed the need for better lighting in several areas at night including along Scott Street between 15th and 16th streets. By improving the alleyway running behind the west side of Harrison street businesses, Mr. Stausser said that could evolve into a north-south corridor to draw students into the Hilltop as well as bring residents to points outside of it.Hilltop investments
HCV Executive Director Mr. Kramer also offered a progress report of sorts. The Hilltop’s leader for the past two years, he shared some impressive statistics of the investments made there through private and public efforts. They included:- Since 2009, more than 100 businesses have been started, creating 250 jobs.
- Volunteers have contributed more than 30,000 hours since 2009.
- In the same period, the district has seen 439 building projects representing $144 million in public and private investments. Some of the largest shares have come Palmer, St. Ambrose and Davenport schools. Their investments, he said “can make that number very large.”
- But others investments include The Brenton on Brady loft development, new storefronts and tenants, other renovations and expansions, and more in the works, such as Vera French Center for Mental Health’s 30-unit housing project now under construction on Harrison Street. The complex, known as Carol’s Village Gardens, will provide affordable and supportive housing for residents, particularly those challenged by mental illness.
- Also since 2009, the district has received more than $500,000 in charitable grants.
- In fiscal 2025, he said the HCV has raised more than $100,000 including $60,000 through its partnership with the city, Riverboat Development Authority, Hilltop Business Association, Ascentra Credit Union, and the National Historic Trust to complete the master plan. It also received a $30,000 grant for operations from the Bechtel Trust.
- In the past year, it has had $2.5 million in public and private investments.
- In 2025 alone, Hilltop has seen the opening of four new businesses, including Delicias Catrachas, a Honduran restaurant, that held its grand opening Friday, June 27.
- Supported 22 businesses working with the Small Business Development Center and SCORE (now located within HCV’s offices) “with the goal that some of those small businesses open their doors here in the Hilltop.”
