Davenport is putting new funding behind an old building, and the scope puts masonry work front and center.
The City of Davenport received a $100,000 grant from the State of Iowa to support redevelopment of Raphael’s Emporium at 628 Harrison St., a historic property built in 1883 in the Hilltop Campus Village district. City officials said the grant-supported project will stabilize and restore the vacant commercial and residential space.
The building has cycled through plenty of uses over the last century. It first operated under Jacob Raphael as a tin shop, rag warehouse, iron dealership, and junk shop. It later housed one of the last cigar-makers from Davenport’s time as the “cigar capital of the Midwest,” then returned to retail as a resale and antique shop before going vacant in the early 2000s.
Today’s plan calls for the first floor to be anchored by a multi-tenant hair salon with up to 10 suites, plus shared space that is being explored for a boutique sandwich shop or a coffee and energy-drink concept. The city said the rehabilitation includes structural and masonry repairs, weather-proofing, and facade restoration. Historic architectural features, including columns, doors, and windows, are also slated for restoration. Phase one, focused on the first floor, is estimated at $700,000, with a second phase planned for apartments on the second floor and accessory buildings on the site.
For mason contractors, projects described as “masonry repairs” and “weather-proofing” usually mean tight coordination with the rest of the building envelope work. Bid scopes need clear definitions for what is being repaired, what is being restored, and what is being replaced, especially when facade elements and openings like windows and doors are part of the same package.
The city applied for the Community Catalyst and Remediation Grant in January and will work with developer Dave Miller to finalize the agreement. A resolution to accept the grant is expected to go to the Davenport City Council, along with a proposed $40,000 forgivable loan from the city’s Community Growth Fund. The project is also eligible for incentives through Davenport’s Urban Revitalization Tax Exemption Program.
Read the full, original article from River Cities' Reader here.