Capitol Theatre opens to rave reviews during chamber sneak peek

The beautifully restored Capitol Theatre is a “trophy” for downtown Davenport and a “monument” to what the Quad Cities can do when it thinks big. It’s also a “vibrant and active place” that will help bring the region to life for QC visitors. Those were among the rave reviews from an eclectic and excited crowd […]

The beautifully restored Capitol Theatre is a “trophy” for downtown Davenport and a “monument” to what the Quad Cities can do when it thinks big. It’s also a “vibrant and active place” that will help bring the region to life for QC visitors. Those were among the rave reviews from an eclectic and excited crowd of some 100 Quad Cities leaders and the project’s contractors and tradespeople who attended a sneak peek and the Quad Cities Chamber ribbon cutting event Wednesday, July 12, at the historic theater at 333 W. Third St. 

In the middle of it all was the event’s emcee Jeff Goldstein. It was the appropriate place for the chairman and CEO of Alter Logistics since it was his decision to invest in the project that helped make the theater renovation possible, Jim Bergman of JNB Capitol Building, Bettendorf, the theater’s owner said. Mr. Bergman bought the historic Kahl Building in 2018 from the Eastern Iowa Community College District Foundation. “When we first bought the building I was kind of nervous because we weren’t entirely sure what we were going to do with the building,” he said of the theater that occupies the bottom two floors of the historic Kahl Building.  He and Quad Cities developer Chris Ales originally purchased the 10-story structure to develop the upper-floor apartments, which now are reopened as the Kahl Lofts. “But we had no idea what we were going to do with this property …  we just had a lot of questions,” Mr. Bergman said of the rundown shuttered Capitol. “Then we enticed Jeff Goldstein to come over to the dark side and become part of the project,” he said, and it was off and running – at least for a while. “Then COVID-19 hit and then I got nervous again,” Mr. Bergman recalled. Why? It was a familiar pandemic story: costs rose and labor was in short supply. “The long and short of it is, it took a lot of different people involved in the project to make it what it is today,” he added. Among those he listed were Iowa Quad Cities state lawmakers, the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office, the Quad Cities Chamber, the National Parks office, National Park Service, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, the City of Davenport, Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Economic Development Authority, Wells Fargo, BankORION, Two Rivers Bank “and the whole construction team.”

Those contractors and tradespeople had their work cut out for them from the roofs to the floors, Mr. Bergman said. For example, he said, “The plaster was in bad shape. There was a lot of water intrusion and they had to take a lot of it down. And it was a monumental task,” he said of the work of Ethan and Corey Wallace. Their efforts can be seen throughout the two-story building. Ditto for the work of Tony Cavallo who led the restoration painting of the building's now bright, beautiful and detailed ceiling dome and alcoves.  Mr. Bergman said “They laid on their backs for months and months and months, and did a lot of work during trying times and made it what it is today.” Among those thrilled with the end result of all those efforts is Sam Summers, operator of Des Moines-based First Fleet Concerts. He’ll be responsible, along with Jason Gilliland, co-owner of the Quad Cities area’s Hive Events, for keeping the theater full. “We’re pretty excited to be doing shows here,” Mr. Summers told the crowd. “When Jim reached out with this opportunity and we came and did a tour of it, we knew that this would be the perfect venue to add to our portfolio of offerings.” He said the space lends itself to a lot of different genres, including rock, which at least for now is scheduled to be the first concert at the theater that has been shuttered since 2010. The American rock band Blackberry Smoke, which will take the stage on Friday, Sept. 29, is expected to be the first of many such events at the venue. ”We’ve got some big ones we’re working on,” Mr. Summers added. Davenport Mayor Mike Matson was among the elected officials excited to see what’s next for the revamped theater. “I’m so happy that folks came together to put this iconic, historic place back into business,” the mayor said. “It’s amazing and it's another place where people can come to the Quad Cities, come to Davenport, specifically downtown Davenport.”

Mr. Matson spoke at the theater Wednesday fresh from an earlier ribbon cutting at the Fairmount Community Center, he said, which together with the Capitol Theatre and other developments demonstrates the city’s ongoing commitment to improving the west end and downtown. Kyle Carter, executive director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP), said the beautifully renovated Capitol Theatre and its potential are just what Davenport needs right now. It was clearly a reference to the bruising the city has taken since the deadly May 28 partial collapse of a downtown apartment building. “This has been a brutal year for the City of Davenport, for downtown Davenport specifically, but there have been many years over the course of this city’s history that we have taken a good punch and come back better than we were before,” Mr. Carter said. In addition, the Capitol’s renovation and the coming events are “a testament to the resilience of this community,” the DDP leader said. “This is a breath of fresh air – one that I think is truly needed and I am deeply proud of personally, to be standing here today.” Recalling standing on the stage to take engagement photos with his now wife 14 years ago “in 2009 in the brief, beautiful window where there were active shows here and I got a taste of what this place was capable of,” he said. “I will always believe that this THE most creative and beautiful piece of architecture in the Quad Cities, I don’t think it’s really that close of a race,” he said. “I think we’re fortunate to have something that you can consider a trophy in the middle of downtown Davenport to reflect the cultural significance  and be a monument to what we can do when we think big and ...  when we believe in what we’re truly capable of in this community.”

Visit Quad Cities President and CEO Dave Herrell, who also attended the event, welcomed the pending reopening of the Capitol Theatre.  “Our regional destination’s creative energy is a strength and an opportunity to continually put the QC on the stage it deserves,” he told the QCBJ on Thursday, June 13. “Vibrant and activated places particularly in downtown footprints are simply good for the brand, tourism, and create an environment that is fun and engaging for visitors and residents.” He added: “Visit Quad Cities is grateful to the owners and the entire Capitol Theatre team for their vision, investment and commitment to re-invigorating this beautiful and historic community asset and bringing it to life.” The journey to Wednesday’s celebration was a long one. Mr. Carter said initial conversations about the Capitol began in 2010. “We are blessed to find the investors, and thank you for that, thank you for making that dream a reality.” Those investors include Mr. Goldstein who said he jumped at the chance to partner with Mr. Bergman again when the opportunity presented itself. He had previously worked with Mr. Bergman on an affordable housing project following 2005’s devastating Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulfport area. Mr. Golstein’s company had a terminal in the region hard hit by the storm.  “Biloxi was flattened by the hurricane and we were trying to do something down there to help our employees to find a place to live,” he told the QCBJ following Wednesday’s celebration. “We got connected with Jim who already had a long history of building affordable housing and we built a project there and it worked very well,” Mr. Goldstein added. “So when he asked if was interested in doing this affordable housing, I jumped at it and said, ‘Sure, I’m in.” It wasn’t always easy, he acknowledged and he knew “it was going to be a long haul” from the first time Mr. Bergman took him on a tour. 

“It had been closed for a long, long time and we walked around with flashlights and it was dark and it was dusty and it was scary … and I did it anyway,” Mr. Goldstein laughed just before one of the tradespeople who had worked on the project reached out for a handshake and said, “Thanks for the opportunity to work on this job, I really enjoyed it.” Following the brief exchange, Mr. Goldstein also took a moment to laud the tradespeople, developers, visionaries and artists who restored  the Capitol Theatre to its past glory. “I think the detail work and the dedication to getting it right by those very same folks is what impressed me the most,” Mr Goldstein said. “They wanted to do it right and I think they accomplished it. And I’m glad to be part of the project.” For Mr. Carter, the restoration is just the beginning of ensuring that the theater is open and thriving for a long time. “These are the things that create a sense of place,” he said. “These are the stories that are unique to Davenport and the Quad Cities. Everybody’s got a Walmart; everybody’s got a 53rd Street, but not everyone has one of these. And never forget it, and never take it for granted.” That means supporting, Mr. Carter added. “When we have the first show I want to see everyone here. I want this place so full that it’s uncomfortable.”