Downtown Rock Island gets set for $8.7M in improvements

An $8.7 million plan to rebuild parts of downtown Rock Island will spur economic development, attract more businesses and more customers, and transform downtown into a destination for people looking for recreation and fun events. And it could all happen by the end of this year. Those are the hopes of Rock Island city and […]

An $8.7 million plan to rebuild parts of downtown Rock Island will spur economic development, attract more businesses and more customers, and transform downtown into a destination for people looking for recreation and fun events. And it could all happen by the end of this year. Those are the hopes of Rock Island city and business leaders who helped kick off the Rebuild Downtown Rock Island project on a sunny, warm Monday afternoon, April 15, with a ground-breaking ceremony at the intersection of 18th Street and Second Avenue.

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“This will bring life, energy and community to downtown Rock Island,” Peter Tokar III, president and CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, said during the ceremony. That ceremony attracted about 75 people – most from the business community, and city and state governments – to see the start of a three-phase project that is set to begin this week and be complete at the end of the year. Some of the project’s main features will include:

• “Welcome to Downtown Rock Island” gateway sign across from Schwiebert Park at 1st Avenue and 18th Street.
• Reconstruction and streetscaping of four downtown blocks.
• Decorative lighting and landscaping.
• Two large-scale murals in Arts Alley.
• Ten new outdoor patio areas at existing restaurants.
• Rock Island block letters for photo opportunities.
• Conversion of the parking lot at 2nd Avenue and 18th Street into greenspace for recreation and special events.
• Installation of a mini roundabout at the intersection of 2nd Avenue and 18th Street.

Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms called it the biggest downtown project in a generation that is long overdue and will help attract more businesses. “We are excited for what this project will bring to our community. The goal is to encourage private investment and improve the overall quality of life for those who live, work in and visit downtown Rock Island,” he added. The downtown project will not only spur economic development in Rock Island, but will also help bring a sense of community to the city, Kristin Richards, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development, told the crowd. “This is going to make the community feel like home. … Every corner of our state will feel like home for generations to come,” Ms. Richards added. But before downtown Rock Island gets to that “feels like home” condition, there will be several months of demolition, construction and likely, business disruptions for downtown businesses. A meeting on Wednesday, April 10, attracted nearly 100 downtown residents, business owners and managers, and other stakeholders who received some details on the project from Jack Cullen, executive director of the Rock Island Downtown Alliance, and leaders with Valley Construction and Veenstra & Kimm Inc., three of the partners in the downtown revitalization project.  The meeting was held to outline the project’s timetable and inform people in the district that the project will be well worth the disruptions caused by the three phases of work. The first phase of the project centers on road work on: 18th Street from First Avenue to Third Avenue; Third Avenue from 18th Street to 19th Street; Second Avenue from 18th Street to 19th Street. This phase will begin this week and is scheduled to be done by the end of the year. Phase two is set to start in October and be completed in December. This phase will also focus on road improvement work including the intersections of Second Avenue and 19th Street; and Third Avenue and 19th Street. Phase three will be the reconstruction of Arts Alley. This work will begin in June and be completed in July. That April 10 meeting – and Monday’s ceremony – were also held to get across another important message: Businesses will remain open during the three construction phases. During the informational meeting last week, all the presentations were made next to a large red sign that stated: “Businesses open during construction.” “During construction, people need to come here, shop and help these businesses. … They need to help the cause while it’s kind of a mess down here,” said Kyle Carter, executive director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership, who was one of the people representing the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce at the Monday groundbreaking.  The $8.7 million Rebuild Downtown Rock Island project is being funded with $3 million from a State of Illinois Rebuild Downtowns grant, $3.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, $1.5 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District funds, and a $267,000 State of Illinois Tourism Attractions grant. The downtown project has been years in the making. The Rock Island Downtown Alliance presented initial plans for the project to the city in October 2021. The Rock Island City Council approved final plans and construction contracts last month. The construction manager for the project is Rock Island-based Valley Construction. The engineering firm is Veenstra & Kim, which includes an office in Rock Island, and the designing company is Streamline Architects in East Moline. Mr. Thoms said that the city is looking forward to working with the business partners on the project to improve downtown Rock Island. “We’re going to return this to a vibrant and thriving area,” the mayor added. For more information on the Rebuild Downtown Rock Island project and to see updates, go here.