The city of Bettendorf is hoping to find a developer for some property downtown. It's issued a request for proposals for the former corporate headquarters of the Ascentra Credit Union.
Economic Development Director Jeff Reiter says the city worked out an agreement with Ascentra that when its new headquarters opened nearby, as it did last week, the city would acquire its former site - three lots in the 1,700 block of Grant Street.
The future owner can keep the office building and two "out buildings" or maybe demolish them.
"The main structure has really good bones. The main structure I could see being re-vitalized or re-utilized in a different way. And then the out buildings - the sky's the limit. Folks could utilize them for additional parking by demolishing the buildings that are there or they could keep them and retro-fit them somehow."
The agreement with Ascentra specifies the new owner cannot be a bank or financial institution, but Reiter thinks the property could become professional offices, maybe for a law firm or accounting firm, or perhaps a restaurant or some kind of retail business.
The former Ascentra headquarters building is more than 60 years old.
Proposals for the property are due in early October.
