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Rock Island Plans for Redevelopment of Former Factory

QC Times, QCOnline.com, Meg McLaughlin

Rock Island is moving forward with plans to redevelop an abandoned eye-sore in the city. At last night's meeting, the city council discussed a proposal for the largely run-down area on the city's west side, surrounding the former Norcross plant.  
Ben Griffith, with city planning, says officials propose creating a new tax-increment-finance district to spur development. The area consists mostly of vacant industrial buildings, including the Norcross building on 2nd Street, which closed in 2011. 

He says creating a 57-acre TIF district around the building could pave the way for the demolition or redevelopment of the plant. 
Griffith says the Norcross building gets the most attention, because of its size and visibility. But, the surrounding area also has a lot of problems- the storm and sanitary sewers are under-sized and inadequate, and the roads need repaired. 


Rock Island has hired Chicago consultants Kane, McKenna, and Associates to develop plans for the TIF district. It would be in the area south of 6th Avenue and east of Mill Street and the Iowa Interstate Railroad.

Griffith says the Rock Island city council should take action on establishing the TIF district late next month.