Three businesses have decided to open in Rock Island. One will renovate a 100-year-old building downtown. Another is the construction of a gas station near the city's industrial park. And the third is a new coffee and donut shop on 18th Avenue.
Last night, the city council approved a development agreement with Saratoga Capital L.L.C. which will turn the former VanDerGinst building into an 11-room, boutique hotel and 33 apartments.
Rock Island City Manager, Randy Tweet, says the principal in the deal is Sam Estep, who worked for Restoration St. Louis when it renovated the Hotel Blackhawk.
Investment in the project totals $10 million, and Tweet says the deal includes restoration of the Chief Blackhawk mural on the north side of the building, plus other improvements. The city's incentive package could total up to $2.5 million.
Casey's plans to build a mini-truck stop at the southwest corner of Andalusia Road and Illinois Highway 92. It will buy the site from the city for $50,000. Case's already has a store in Milan less than two miles down the road. But Tweet says it's not big enough for semi's and other big trucks.
And finally, the city council approved the sale of property on 18th Avenue to a company named Rock Island Coffee for $5,500. Tweet says it plans to open a Dunkin' Donuts near the CVS store.