This story is a part of the QCBJ’s Newsmakers edition. This year-end wrap-up from the staff of the Quad Cities Business Journal is a compilation of the year’s most noteworthy articles and projects, as told through stories that appeared in the bi-weekly issues of the QCBJ. This story was originally published in Feb. 2022. After […]
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This story is a part of the QCBJ’s Newsmakers edition. This year-end wrap-up from the staff of the Quad Cities Business Journal is a compilation of the year’s most noteworthy articles and projects, as told through stories that appeared in the bi-weekly issues of the QCBJ.
This story was originally published in Feb. 2022.
After a slow start, a grand vision is coming into focus for redeveloping the large area created on Moline’s riverfront by the new Interstate 74 Bridge and demolition of the old green bridge. The broad outline of a redevelopment plan for the large, former manufacturing corridor under, in and around the new bridge has been years in the making. The planning process also was slowed by COVID-19 and an exodus of key top city staff. Now that planning is back on track, however, it still is likely to be some time before Quad Citians will see many of the ambitious projects being envisioned for the area, development leaders caution. In the end, however, they expect the community’s patience to be rewarded with a year-round redevelopment featuring one-of-a-kind elements that will make Moline’s riverfront stand alone. Among them, for example, are a skatepark and pump track nestled under the new bridge; a boat-up theater on the water; a rooftop restaurant and arts center in the old Spiegel building; a Great River Park and bike trail; and a newly created Mill Street Basin water feature crowded with shops, kiosks and attractions. Those projects are part of an Interstate 74 Corridor Redevelopment Plan. On Jan. 18, a Moline City Council roundtable presented by Renew Moline President and CEO Alexandra Elias was held to get council direction regarding what Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas has called “a very large and complex redevelopment opportunity.” With rare exception, aldermen supported the major components outlined in the ambitious plan being developed to transform the large piece of prime Mississippi riverfront. “The placement of the new I-74 bridge and the demolition of the old one gives the city a rare opportunity to recreate its ‘front porch’ — which many of us consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Ms. Elias told the QCBJ. “We’re trying to use placemaking as an attraction to the community and an attraction to the region,” she added. The area to be redeveloped roughly stretches from Moline’s Seventh Avenue to the Mississippi River between 18th and 23rd streets. The area east of 23rd Street also is a secondary development area, according to Liz Nolte, Renew Moline’s operations and communications director. Now, “the Urban Land Institute gave some inspirational concepts through its advisory panel, the public weighed in on those ideas, and with the endorsement of mayor and council in the work session, the work of turning those concepts into real projects begins,” Ms. Elias added. Much of the project management work that comes next “is largely invisible to the public, and involves the myriad tasks necessary to implement such significant physical change in our urban environment,” Ms. Elias said. “As we begin to refine project concepts (how big should a skate park be? How much parking does it need? How does it connect to the adjacent community to allow people to walk, bike or skate to it?) there are many questions that are evaluated, feedback solicited.” That feedback will be presented to the mayor and council for approval, design and funding; “all the things any project would need to be built. Some of these are more complex, more expensive and thus, will take longer,” she said. For example, Moline’s Mr. Vitas told the QCBJ before the Jan. 18 workshop, “We know that property acquisition is going to be part of the project. The city is working with IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) to assess properties for acquisition by the city as well as by John Deere and Heritage Church, which both will also acquire property as a result of the IDOT right-of-way shifting to the east.” Throughout the journey ahead, Ms. Elias said, “We hope the community stays interested, because as these ideas are refined there will very likely be additional opportunities to share opinions and ideas. We have already received some great ideas from the community, and it’s entirely possible that one or more of those will become a reality.” That kind of public buy-in will continue to be critical going forward. “From a Visit Quad Cities perspective, the work that was done by the Urban League Institute and Renew Moline is a watershed opportunity for Moline and the entire downtown corridor to really rethink and reimagine the riverfront and Moline’s connection to it,” said Dave Herrell, the tourism bureau’s president and CEO.
After a slow start, a grand vision is coming into focus for redeveloping the large area created on Moline’s riverfront by the new Interstate 74 Bridge and demolition of the old green bridge. The broad outline of a redevelopment plan for the large, former manufacturing corridor under, in and around the new bridge has been years in the making. The planning process also was slowed by COVID-19 and an exodus of key top city staff. Now that planning is back on track, however, it still is likely to be some time before Quad Citians will see many of the ambitious projects being envisioned for the area, development leaders caution. In the end, however, they expect the community’s patience to be rewarded with a year-round redevelopment featuring one-of-a-kind elements that will make Moline’s riverfront stand alone. Among them, for example, are a skatepark and pump track nestled under the new bridge; a boat-up theater on the water; a rooftop restaurant and arts center in the old Spiegel building; a Great River Park and bike trail; and a newly created Mill Street Basin water feature crowded with shops, kiosks and attractions. Those projects are part of an Interstate 74 Corridor Redevelopment Plan. On Jan. 18, a Moline City Council roundtable presented by Renew Moline President and CEO Alexandra Elias was held to get council direction regarding what Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas has called “a very large and complex redevelopment opportunity.” With rare exception, aldermen supported the major components outlined in the ambitious plan being developed to transform the large piece of prime Mississippi riverfront. “The placement of the new I-74 bridge and the demolition of the old one gives the city a rare opportunity to recreate its ‘front porch’ — which many of us consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Ms. Elias told the QCBJ. “We’re trying to use placemaking as an attraction to the community and an attraction to the region,” she added. The area to be redeveloped roughly stretches from Moline’s Seventh Avenue to the Mississippi River between 18th and 23rd streets. The area east of 23rd Street also is a secondary development area, according to Liz Nolte, Renew Moline’s operations and communications director. Now, “the Urban Land Institute gave some inspirational concepts through its advisory panel, the public weighed in on those ideas, and with the endorsement of mayor and council in the work session, the work of turning those concepts into real projects begins,” Ms. Elias added. Much of the project management work that comes next “is largely invisible to the public, and involves the myriad tasks necessary to implement such significant physical change in our urban environment,” Ms. Elias said. “As we begin to refine project concepts (how big should a skate park be? How much parking does it need? How does it connect to the adjacent community to allow people to walk, bike or skate to it?) there are many questions that are evaluated, feedback solicited.” That feedback will be presented to the mayor and council for approval, design and funding; “all the things any project would need to be built. Some of these are more complex, more expensive and thus, will take longer,” she said. For example, Moline’s Mr. Vitas told the QCBJ before the Jan. 18 workshop, “We know that property acquisition is going to be part of the project. The city is working with IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) to assess properties for acquisition by the city as well as by John Deere and Heritage Church, which both will also acquire property as a result of the IDOT right-of-way shifting to the east.” Throughout the journey ahead, Ms. Elias said, “We hope the community stays interested, because as these ideas are refined there will very likely be additional opportunities to share opinions and ideas. We have already received some great ideas from the community, and it’s entirely possible that one or more of those will become a reality.” That kind of public buy-in will continue to be critical going forward. “From a Visit Quad Cities perspective, the work that was done by the Urban League Institute and Renew Moline is a watershed opportunity for Moline and the entire downtown corridor to really rethink and reimagine the riverfront and Moline’s connection to it,” said Dave Herrell, the tourism bureau’s president and CEO.