Bethany for Children & Families moving to historic Moline block

Bethany for Children & Families is relocating into the Caxton Block Building in a move that consolidates its staff under one roof and one it hopes will spur a “social service corridor” in downtown Moline.  Bethany is in the process of moving to the historic building at 1701 River Drive – just blocks from its […]

Bethany for Children & Families is relocating into the Caxton Block Building in a move that consolidates its staff under one roof and one it hopes will spur a “social service corridor” in downtown Moline.  Bethany is in the process of moving to the historic building at 1701 River Drive – just blocks from its 1830 Sixth Ave. offices. In a news release Thursday, April 13, Bethany announced the impending move to the Caxton Block Building. The social services agency said that it had been renting space in other buildings – in addition to its previous headquarters – and decided to unite its caseworkers, supervisors and educators, as well as its fund development, human resources and business personnel under one roof. “For example, a caseworker who may have a new child in foster care, can walk down the hall and  enroll the child in after-school program, request parenting programming for the biological parent, and  sign the child up for therapy services quickly in the new facility,” Bethany President and CEO Dr. Bill Steinhauser said in the release. 

With more children and families struggling with pervasive issues such as poverty, homelessness and  mental illness, the 124-year-old nonprofit has been adding staff and programs to support some of the Quad Cities’ most  vulnerable populations.   “This will make it easier for multiple generations to get basic needs of food, shelter, and housing met  in close proximity. We welcome other social service agencies to embrace this vision, and join us,” the nonprofit leader said in the release.  The agency envisions creating a “social service corridor” in downtown Moline.   Bethany said in the release that the new office location will enable its own staff members to have the opportunity to coordinate services in a timely manner, giving clients the very best outcomes.  “The move to the Caxton Block Building unifies the agency’s Moline locations,” Christina McNamara-Schmidt, Bethany’s director of development and communication, told the QCBJ in an email. “We had cannibalized all of our meeting space for desk space and it was creating a very tight work arrangement post-COVID.” Bethany also has offices in Davenport and Maquoketa, Iowa, as well as Carbon Cliff and Kewanee, Illinois. The agency employs a total of 90.  About 75 of Bethany’s staff members should be in the new Moline location by the end of next week, she said. The remainder will move into the new office once renovations have been completed to its space.  Ms. McNamara-Schmidt told the QCBJ that it is leasing the Caxton building with the intent to purchase. It will occupy the entire second floor and one-third of the third floor. It also will honor the leases of the tenants already in the building. Bethany plans to put up its Sixh Avenue building for lease or sale. The Caxton Block Building formerly housed the Quad Cities offices of Shive-Hattery Architecture & Engineering, which moved in September 2021 into its newly constructed Quad Cities Design Office at 2144 56th Ave. West, Bettendorf.  This will mark the second time that Bethany is moving into a building previously occupied by Shive-Hattery. The engineering firm had its offices at 1830 Sixth Ave. before moving to the Caxton Block. The Caxton property also previously housed Western Illinois University’s Engineering Program before the WIU Riverfront Campus opened in Moline. Built in 1908, the Caxton building was the home of Desaulniers & Company Printers until the firm closed in 1995. After sitting vacant for years and considered for demolition, the Kaizen Company of America purchased it in 2000 and renovated it into modern office space.  According to Ms. McNamara-Schmidt, Bethany considered several options before landing on the Caxton Block Building. “Bethany was working with other nonprofits to renovate the QCIC in Rock Island,” she said, adding the renovation was cost-prohibitive.  It also considered locations at SouthPark Mall and John Deere Road in Moline as well as in Rock Island. “It’s important for our agency to be located along the bus routes for our clients who access them to get to the agency,” she said of the new location.   Bethany provides essential services to the community, including  adoption; foster care; therapy and behavioral services for children in school; a mobile dental clinic for  children; after-school anger management program for at-risk youth; programs for homeless teens and  families; child welfare protective and preventive services for children; education programs in schools, and a special day treatment school for youth with significant behavioral and emotional needs.  Founded in 1899, the agency now serves 11,500 children and families annually in western Illinois and eastern Iowa through its 25 programs and services. For more information, visit here.