After spending millions of dollars over more than ten years, the renovation of a block in downtown Rock Island is finished. Today city officials held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of the Goldman Family Block - the 16-hundred block of 2nd Avenue. Mayor Dennis Pauley helped cut the ribbon, which also marked the completion of 16-16 and 16-18 2nd Avenue into commercial space and five upstairs apartments. This project cost 1 million dollars.
"If you look around the whole block - 12 million dollars is invested in this block alone. We keep talking about rebuilding Rock Island one block at a time - this is one of those blocks."
And he emphasized the team effort it took to renovate this building and all the others on the block, including the city, Renaissance Rock Island, the Development Association of Rock Island, plus banks and contractors.
Daryl Empen, board chairman for Renaissance Rock Island, says work on this block of 2nd Avenue dates back to 1998 when the Goldman Family donated a corner building to the city. Then in 2001, it opened with 28 apartments.
"I'm especially proud of the Goldman Family Block because that started all the infill projects we 've done in Rock Island. We took a building and put it back to productive use."
Other projects along the block include the Clipper Condominiums and the Paddock Building.