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Tenants & Concerts Are Returning to the Kahl Building in Downtown Davenport

Jim Bergman (center holding scissors) is flanked by investment partners Jeff Goldstein (left of Bergman) and Chris Ales (on Bergman's right) plus other partners and local officials.
Michelle O'Neill

On Wednesday, investors, city officials, and others held a ribbon-cutting on the Capitol Theater stage to celebrate the $27 million renovation and grand reopening.

In 2018, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges sold the building for two million dollars to Jim Bergman. He, Chris Ales, and the Jeff Goldstein family are the three, main investors.

The Kahl building and entrance to the Capitol Theatre in Davenport
Michelle O'Neill

Bergman says office space in the 103-year-old building has been converted to 66 apartments. A variety of state and federal tax credits enhanced the finacing of the huge undertaking. And it only took 45 days to rent all the units in the Kahl building.

Bergman says the general contractor, Door Creek Construction. hired many local sub-contractors to renovate the historic property on the corner of 3rd and Ripley in Davenport.

Tickets went on sale last month for the first concert scheduled in the newly renovated Capitol Theater. Blackberry Smoke will take the stage in late September. The theater's new promoter is First Fleet Concerts.

Before selling it, Scott Community College had been using the Kahl Building for classes since the mid-1990's. It was a gift from the family of V.O. and Elizabeth Figge. She was the daughter of Henry Kahl, the building's namesake.

Michelle O'Neill
Michelle O'Neill
Michelle O'Neill
Michelle O'Neill
Michelle O'Neill
Michelle O'Neill

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Officially, Michelle's title for 28 years was WVIK News Editor. She did everything there is to do in the newsroom and whatever was needed around the radio station. She also served as Acting News Director from September 2023 - January 2024.