SAU Bees Buzz Western

August 23rd, 2012 by PJ

Incoming Saint Ambrose University freshmen “Bees” buzzed around the Gold Coast neighborhood on Monday, August 20, 2012 as part of their Urban Plunge Program. SAU Urban Plunge brings these freshmen into various sites in the community to participate in projects with non-profit Quad City groups.
18 SAU freshmen and 3 staff tackled the Western Ave. Hill as their contribution to the Urban Plunge. They diligently and enthusiastically weeded, lopped, clipped and filled about 40 yard waste bags. Most importantly, they beautified this wonderful historic site in our Gold Coast neighborhood.

Posted in Events |

2012 Ice Cream Social

August 1st, 2012 by PJ

The 2012 Ice Cream Social was held at the Gold Coast Park July 29, 2012 infused with great Whitey’s ice cream, games, and good conversation.

Posted in Events |

Gold Coast Awarded “Great Places in America”

October 6th, 2011 by PJ

The Gold Coast & Hamburg Historic District received a “Great Places in America” award for neighborhoods from the American Planning Association (APA) on Oct. 4, 2011 at a program at the Beiderbecke Inn, Western Ave. and 7th St. in Davenport, IA.  For the past 5 years the APA has given national awards in the categories of streets, neighborhoods and public spaces.  The Gold Coast is the first in Iowa to receive the neighborhood award, and is one of 10 neighborhoods in the nation to be named by APA in 2011.

David Wilwerding, AICP, President of the Iowa APA presented the award to Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba and PJ Slobojan, President of the Gold Coast-Hamburg Historic District Association.  These awards hit such national media as USA Today, Forbes, NPR, the Bloomberg Report.

According the APA’s web site “APA’s flagship program celebrates places of exemplary character, quality, and planning.  Places are selected annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow. ”

Also, “APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live.  They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable.  They are places where people want to be – not only to visit, but to live and work every day.  America’s truly great streets, neighborhoods and public spaces are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement.”

Please continue to check this web site for further information

https://www.planning.org/greatplaces/neighborhoods/2011/hamburg.htm
http://qctimes.com/news/local/gold-coast-named-a-great-neighborhood/article_ddb2ba4a-eead-11e0-b233-001cc4c03286.html

 

 

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Posted in News |

2011 Home Tour Great Success

October 5th, 2011 by PJ

The Gold Coast Tour of Sept. 24-25 2011 was a huge success.  The 5 homes on the tour were spectacular and compliments were flowing.  “One of the best I’ve been to…”; “I can’t imagine them (911 W. 7th St.) changing from a boarded up house to this in 2 years!”; “This is my first tour and I’m so impressed…”; “the magnitude of the brochures was awesome”; and on and on.  Guests, homeowners and tour committee alike were all delighted with the tour.  In spite of cloudy and sometimes rainy conditions, approximately 800 guests viewed the homes, the Jipp Center and the German American Heritage Center.  This was an increase of approximately 200 people over the past few years of the tour.

Guests walked, drove or took the free bus from one house to the next in an area that spanned the Gold Coast boundaries.  To add to the ambience there was live music at 614 W. 5th St. and area residents, Pam and Dennis LaRoque, sauntered the neighborhood in period costume.  The brochures contained a complete history of the homes and original homeowners, and the newly revised Walking Tour Brochures were handed out.

Though a fund raiser Gold Coast residents see the annual home tour as an invitation to guests to view the wonderful homes in the historic district.  Our thanks to homeowners DeAnna Walter and Rick Kimmel (614 W. 5th St.) Lois and Maurice Woods (604 Gaines St.), Mike Ryan (625 Scott St.), Judy and Jim Thomas (911 W. 7th St.), Laura and Jim Countryman (927 W. 8th St.);  Our thanks also to over 70 volunteers from within and outside the neighborhood who helped to make this a success.  And our thanks go to the brochure advertisers who continually support the Gold Coast.  Home tour committee members were Sara Bartholomew, Marion Meginnis, PJ Slobojan.

Posted in Events |

Cookout a Success

June 27th, 2011 by PJ

Despite the rain approximately 30 neighbors gathered for a cookout Sat. June 25, 2011 at 729 Western Ave.  Hardy souls are used to the rain as the same thing happened last year!  In spite of the dampness a great time was had with lots of good food, music and conversation.

Posted in Events |

Historic Preservation Ordinance Support

June 27th, 2011 by PJ

The GC&HHDA voted and resolved to support of the Davenport Historic Preservation Ordinance proposal at a meeting held June 25, 2011.  The proposed changes in the existing ordinance would strengthen the penalties for willful demolition, clarify the role of Davenport City Council in the appeal process, achieve consistency with National Parks Service language for Historic Preservation, clarify the demolition process and the Certificate of Appropriateness.  The resolution is as follows:

Because, the Gold Coast and Hamburg Historic District Association supports the preservation of Davenport’s built heritage, 

And, because we support that the preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods to improve the quality of life, encourage private investment, and generally enhance the economic viability of the entire city,

And, because we believe the proposed changes to the historic preservation ordinance will improve and clarify numerous portions of the existing ordinance that are confusing and unclear,

We hereby resolve, that The Gold Coast and Hamburg Historic District Association strongly supports the proposed changes to the Davenport Historic Preservation Ordinance and we strongly urge all of the Davenport City Council members to support the adoption of this amended ordinance by voting “YES” on this issue.

The GC&HHDA will actively pursue the passage of the proposal through petitions, letters and attendance at Davenport City Council meetings.  Further discussions of the proposed changes at Council will likely be held in early August 2011.  For further information or how you can help contact [email protected] or [email protected].

 

Posted in News |

“Built to Last: Jewels of the Gold Coast”

June 15th, 2011 by PJ

The Gold Coast & Hamburg Historic District Association Home Tour, “Built to Last: Jewels of the Gold Coast”,  is slated for Sept. 24-25, 2011.  Five lovely renovated historic homes as well as the German American Heritage Center, the Jipp Center and Cafe d’Marie will be open on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 11 am-4 pm and Sunday, Sept. 25 from 1-4 pm.  2011 is also the year the City of Davenport is celebrating 175 years of life on the Mississippi.

The historic neighborhood association has been hosting home tours starting in 1990, and area homeowners have opened their historic homes to the public since that time.   The five homes on the 2011 home tour are as follows:  The Henning J. Witt Home at 604 Gaines St. was built circa 1894 and is an excellent example of Queen Anne style.  The Henry Struck Home, 614 W. 5th St. is the first of Struck’s homes built circa 1877 and is a vernacular Italianate/Greek Revival style.  The Hans Stoltenberg Home is at 911 W. 7th St. and built circe 1870.  This is a vernacular transitional form of Federal and Italianate styles.  In circa 1870 the Peter Bindschaedel Home was built at 927 W. 8th St.  This McClelland Style Davenport 2 1/2  was also the home and studio of local artists John & Isabel Bloom.  The Peter & Eliza Goldschmidt Home at 625 Scott St., built circa 1882, was also the home of German emigrant Charles Voss.  This is an early gabled Italianate style modernized with Colonial details and a large wrap around porch.

The German American Heritage Center at 712 W. 2nd St.  is located in the original Germania House and will also be open to the public.  Also open is the Jipp Center, circa 1868, at 730 Gaines St. which now houses the Architectural Rescue Shop. Cafe d’Marie , housed in the 1877 Henry Struck home at 614 W. 5th St. will also be open for the event.

Ticket costs for the event are $10 for adults and free for children under 12 accompanied by adults.  Tickets may be purchased at any of the tour homes.  Profits from the event will help sponsor special projects and maintain the responsibilities of the GC&HHDA such as the Gold Coast Park and the historic decorative lights throughout the neighborhood.  Current project money will be used for an entry and iron railing at the top of Scott St. steps to be installed in 2011.

Check this web site for further updates.  For more information contact, [email protected].

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Posted in Events, Fundraisers |

Gold Coast Grows with Grants

May 22nd, 2011 by PJ

Many projects in the Gold Coast-Hamburg Historic District would never have reached fruition without the help of grants from various sources.  These grants have been welcomed and have run the financial gamut from $150 to $60,000.  Many of the grant projects have nudged other grant sources into matching funds.  The single largest contributor is thanks to the Riverboat Development Authority (RDA) and the results of their generosity is seen in the Gold Coast Park’s gazebo and stone wall, the Western Ave. Steps railing, and the decorative lights on Gaines St.  Since the instigation of the City of Davenport’s Community Partnership Program (CPP) grant program four years ago, the GC&HHDA has been the recipient of two grants that have also purchased and installed the decorative  LED lights on Gaines St.

Other grants have been awarded thanks to Alderman’s Beautification Funds, Quad City Homebuilders, Tri-City Garden Club and United Neighbors.  These are such projects as tree and flower plantings, walkways, the Western Ave. entry and other like projects.  Presently the GC&HHDA is applying for grant money for improvements to the Scott St. Steps area that will be similar to Western Ave.

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Posted in News, Projects |

Gaines St. Lights Up

May 7th, 2011 by PJ

Up and down Gaines St. from Centennial Bridge to W. Locust St. the streets and boulevards are lighting up thanks to a group known as EGG. 

This project  includes the purchase and installation of new energy efficient LED decorative lights, over 80 flower beds, new trees plus the repair and updating of streets and sidewalks.

Edmund Gaines was a military man in the early 1800’s.  Gaines St. is named after him, and the acronym EGG stands for the Edmund Gaines Group.  This group consists of a group of representatives from a variety of civic and neighborhood organizations – from the City of Davenport and Scott County to the GC&HHDA , Quad City Chamber, German American Heritage Center, and St. Ambrose University, to name a portion of those involved.  The express purpose of EGG is the streetscaping of the Gaines St. Corridor.

In the 4+ years EGG has been meeting, resources for the lights have come from grants awarded by Riverboat Development Authority (RDA) and the City of Davenport’s Community Partnership Program (CPP).  Three blocks of the green shepherd’s hook design were installed in 2010, and two more blocks will be installed in 2011.  The ultimate goal is lighting through the corridor to W. Locust St.  The project will move as quickly as money is obtained for the purchase and installation of lights. 

Grant money for the flower beds has come through Alderman’s Beautification Funds, Community Foundation of Great River Bend, Scott County in Bloom and Scott County Regional  Authority.  Volunteers fill out the labor part of the project.

 The residents along Gaines St. are proud and thankful for the project “lighting up” the neighborhood and looking forward to the day when lights get to their block.  Gaines St. resident Ryan Berger says:  “Driving up Gaines St. reminds me of the Netherlands with all of the blooming tulips.”

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Fund Raising Events

March 9th, 2011 by PJ
High Tea

High Tea

Events are a vital part of GC&HHDA programming as fund raisers.  These events also serve as a means of promoting our historic district by inviting the community to visit the Gold Coast – our homes, our gardens, our neighbors.  We have several neighbors who found their homes while participating in a home tour!

The first garden tour “Gold Coast Blooms” in July 2010 drew about 400 visitors to eight neighborhood gardens, workshops and entertainment.  This was followed in December by “Holiday High Tea”, a day of wonderful cuisine and entertainment in two of the gracious Gold Coast Homes.

2011 will bring the Gold Coast Home Tour scheduled for Sept. 24 & 25, featuring 5 historic neighborhood homes open to the public.  The 5th annual High Tea will be held Dec. 10.  Look for further information as these events draw near.

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Posted in Completed Projects, Fundraisers |

Mission Statement and Goals

March 9th, 2011 by PJ

In the past year, the GC&HHDA has been visiting and re-visiting our Mission Statement and Goals.  Through the process of brain storming, identifying, categorizing, interviewing, and prioritizing by the membership, there is now a new Mission Statement that more clearly defines the Association.  The process has also produced a set of Goals that the GC&HHDA can work to achieve.  Presently the GC&HHDA Board is giving further definition by breaking down the existing goals into an annual plan of objectives.  We see the new mission and goals will serve as viable tools to move the GC&HHDA ahead more effectively.  Refer to the right hand side of this page for the new mission and goals.

Posted in Completed Projects |

Gold Coast Park & Western Ave. Steps

March 9th, 2011 by PJ

GCPark-2Western archThe GC-HHDA Beautification Committee with Terry Genz as Chair has set dates for the spring clean up of the Gold Coast Park and the Western Ave. Steps. Park clean up will be the morning of April 20, 2013 and Western Ave. Steps on June 8, 2013. Contact [email protected] for details.
The Gold Coast Park was deeded to the Association by the City of Davenport, transformed from deteriorating apartment houses that burned in the 1990’s to an area that now boasts a gazebo, retaining wall, park benches, trees and plantings that have all been projects of the Gold Coast. This little pocket park on the 700 block of Ripley St. is one of the many jewels of this historic neighborhood.
The Western Ave. Steps are owned by the City of Davenport but have long been maintained by the GC-HHDA. Glorious golden lilies bloom all along the steps in the summer, and the area also contains decorative iron railings, an arched entry, park bench, an educational kiosk and other plantings. A very steep hillside, the area has always been a pedestrian walkway and has never been opened to vehicular traffic.

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Posted in Events |

Historic Preservation Ordinance

March 9th, 2011 by PJ

Presently Davenport’s Planning and Zoning Commission and ultimately the City Council is looking at its Historic Preservation Ordinance, and city staff is working on the proposed ordinance package. This process will have a direct effect on the Hamburg Historic District and its homes as well as other areas of the city. For further information about the ordinance and meeting dates, contact Matt Flynn, [email protected].

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Gaines Streetscaping Project

February 18th, 2011 by PJ

Neighbors and Volunteers Plant Flowers

The Edmund Gaines Group (EGG) is a group of representatives from non profits, businesses, government and other interested parties that was formed over 4 years ago for the express purpose of streetscaping Gaines St. from the Mississippi River to West Locust St. Members of the GC&HHDA are vital representatives of this group and the Association has written grants to provide funding for the project.
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New lighting now proudly grace a portion of the corridor. In the fall of 2010 three blocks of ornamental LED shepherd’s hook design lights were installed in the 500-700 blocks of Gaines St. with plans to continue the lighting in other blocks as funding becomes available. At this time over 80 flower beds have been planted from the 500 block to W. Locust St. with a variety of flowers bursting with color. Trees have been planted and curbs have been repaired.
Funding for the lights came from grants from the Riverboat Development Authority and Davenport’s Community Partnership Program while sources for the flower beds has been Alderman’s Beautification Funds, Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, Scott County in Bloom and the Scott County Regional Authority.
The EGG project is ongoing and the ultimate goal is a streetscape enhanced with effective and attractive lighting, bursts of color in the flower beds and trees, and upgraded, dependable infrastructure.

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Posted in Completed Projects |

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