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Millions Approved to Enhance Downtown Rock Island

WVIK, Quad Cities NPR | By Herb Trix
Published December 21, 2021 at 2:46 PM CST
a drawing of what the Great River Plaza could look like when the project is done.
City of Rock Island and Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce
a drawing of what the Great River Plaza could look like when the project is done.

Rock Island wants to spruce up its downtown historic district. Monday night, the city council approved spending four million dollars, as part of a 7 million dollar project, with the rest of the money coming from the state.

Downtown Rock Island Director Jack Cullen says the main focus would be re-construction of the Great River Plaza, improving Arts Alley, and developing a "gateway" between the downtown business district and Schwiebert Riverfront Park.

a possible future "look" for Arts Alley
City of Rock Island and the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce
a possible future "look" for Arts Alley

"All of these things were called out in the downtown Rock Island re-vitalization plan, and specifically by members of the public."

In addition to government money, there will also be some private investment.

"For example, Illinois Casualty Company is wanting to donate land as well as 100,000 dollars toward the development of a state-of-the-art dog park for downtown Rock Island, on land that they own."

Rock Island's money would come from the downtown tax increment financing district and its federal rescue plan funding.

Cullen says the city has applied for state grants totaling 3 million dollars - from the tourism attraction grant program, and from money set aside for re-building downtowns.
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WVIK Top Stories Downtown Rock IslandQuad Cities ChamberIllinois Casualty Company
Herb Trix
A native of Detroit, Herb Trix began his radio career as a country-western disc jockey in Roswell, New Mexico (“KRSY, your superkicker in the Pecos Valley”), in 1978. After a stint at an oldies station in Topeka, Kansas (imagine getting paid to play “Louie Louie” and “Great Balls of Fire”), he wormed his way into news, first in Topeka, and then in Freeport Illinois. While a graduate student in the Public Affairs Reporting Program at the University of Illinois at Springfield (then known as Sangamon State University), he got his first taste of public radio, covering Illinois state government for WUIS. Here in the Quad Cities, Herb worked for WHBF Radio before coming to WVIK in 1987. Herb also produces the weekly public affairs feature Midwest Week – covering the news behind the news by interviewing reporters about the stories they cover.
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