Craig’s Friday Countdown City Buildings
The Central Fire groundbreaking has me misty for many, but not all, of the buildings the City owns or thereabouts* (or is about to own in the case of the Adler or hopes to never own in the case of the Figge).
#25) “Dock” Restaurant – Blight on the riverfront. Will be gone soon.
#24) River Center – Been to Madison, Dubuque or other conference center competitors lately? Solid, debt-free bones, but needs a makeover.
#23) Duck Creek Lodge – A lovely little building, creating fond memories.
#22) River’s Edge – Not a great piece of architecture, but we only built the Parks HQ addition. A terrific asset for the community, obtained for 10% of what it would cost to build. Blow out the west wall to add court space, add second story classrooms as the home of a sports-oriented junior high, and return to the glory days of Davenport high school athletic dominance in just a few years. Were I king for a day …
#21) Union Station – Would score higher if it was still a train station. Good (not great, but good) re-use.
#20) Vanderveer Conservatory – A year round oasis of flora.
#19) Freight House – The blue collar in me ranks it higher than the fancier Union Station. Or is it the hungry and thirsty in me?
#18) Eastern Avenue Library – Some second generation tweaks after the Fairmount branch ranks it higher on some people’s list.
#17) Fairmount Library – But Fairmount was the first branch, and almost a third of the town showed up on Opening Day for it. A triumph of Davenport civic spirit, the politics of cooperation and nation-leading Iowa literacy, so I have it higher than the Eastern Ave. Branch.
#16) Dee Bruemmer Public Works Facility – Key features? In the middle of the city and you can see daylight from most every spot inside the building. That goes unappreciated until you figure out (as PW has) that being ever vigilant about the weather is important.
#15) Adler Theater* - About to get it back. Beautiful interior. Up to date back of house. Could use a better lobby and much better marquee.
#14) Skatepark Utility Building – Tough and industrial, but also expressive and fun. Not an easy combo to pull off.
#13) Beaux Arts Building* - First place I wanted to live in Davenport was the old firehouse in the East Village. Second place was here. They looked at me like I was goofy. I prefer "unconventional", but I probably was at least a little goofy to take the job in 2001 (not a complaint, an observation).
#12) Figge* – Chipperfield’s first U.S. commission. Works as skyline icon, doesn’t quite work (yet) as a welcoming entry experience. Should be the home - not a place to visit but the home - of the Creative Arts Academy (my opinion).
#11) Skybridge – Have not seen a child who was anything but delighted to be in it. Citizens voted on both the funding and design so if you don’t like it, tell it to someone who hates democracy because ... well ... I don't. Needs a coat of paint inside, which is scheduled soon.
#10) Credit Island Lodge – A great, honest building. Even better now.
#9) Central Library – Edward Durrell Stone’s starter building and our mid-century modern jewel.
#8) Littig, Collins & LeClaire Houses – If you are going to own some residences, a few exemplars of their day is a good place to start, and end.
#7) Fire Stations (non Central) – A handsome collection. Don’t underestimate utilitarianism as a design ethos.
#6) Police HQ – The first promise I made to anyone in Davenport. Showed up for the interview and needed to change into my suit. Chief Bladel showed me to management’s locker room and I said “Chief, you need a new building”. Made some (temporary?) enemies when I sent back the first elevations that looked like a 1990s suburban office building and demanded something within a definable architectural style. Came back as a contemporary (and LEED certified) Prairie building.
#5) Credit Island Restroom – WPA era stone building regularly floods and has been closed for some time. With a little work, it would make an interesting “Artist in Residence” cabin for the Friends of Credit Island to rent out.
#4) Central Fire Station – Just guessing it will land here when its done. Turn of the century meets turn of the century. You can’t help but wonder what’ll happen a hundred years from now.
#3) City Hall – Bats on the third floor creep me out during migratory season and the Council Chambers could use about 574 square yards less teal, but it’s a grand old building, and the boarded up windows are gone !
#2) Spraypark Utility Building – Took double barreled blasts square to the chest from the QCTimes on my insistence that a backyard shed wasn’t good enough. Lived to tell the tale. Fun place = fun building. Firmatis, utilitas, venustatis. In even the small buildings.
#1) Modern Woodmen Park – Cutting down on the donuts and exercising regularly, I hope to see you in 16 years at her 100th birthday party.
Right? Wrong? Missed One You Like? (Roosevelt Center – mid teens) That’s what the comments section is for.
