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Old Rock Island buildings getting a second look

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By Dustin Lemmon | Saturday, February 16, 2008 |

Some empty buildings in Rock Island were being looked at Friday by a non-profit developer known for creating affordable housing for artists.

City officials took representatives from Artspace to the old Lincoln school, the McCabes’ Building downtown and the Masonic Temple, among others. The company will do a feasibility study to determine if they’re interested in redeveloping one of the properties.

Wendy Holmes, vice president of resource development and consulting, said the company develops housing for a variety of artists, ranging from architects to performing artists. They want a building with a minimum of 40,000 square feet that can fit at least 25 units.

“We have a sense there is a large enough population in the Quad-Cities it can support a project like this,” Holmes said Friday. “It seems like all of the different forces have come together in Rock Island to make this possible.”

Holmes noted Mayor Mark Schwiebert has an interest in the arts and in environmentally friendly projects, which appeals to the Minneapolis-based company.

In addition to the availability of buildings, Artspace looks at a community’s leadership, artist market and philanthropic support as well as financing options for the project, Holmes said.

The analysis cost the city $10,000 with $2,500 paid through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Within a month Artspace should decide if they want to commit to a project in Rock Island, said Greg Champagne, the city’s community and economic development director.

Even if they don’t choose Rock Island, the feasibility study on the buildings will help the city market them in the future, Champagne noted.

“We’re really happy to have them here and taking an interest,” he said of Artspace, which inspected seven Rock Island buildings Friday.

Company representatives also met with about 35 people Thursday night at Comedy Sportz in Rock Island where they asked and answered questions.

“There is a lot of interest nationwide in the arts community and bringing them in” to the city, Champagne said. “It’s a lot of energy and new perspective in the community.”

Holmes said Artspace will next conduct a market survey within a 50-mile radius of the Quad-Cities to see how many people would be interested in living in such a building and to find out what their needs would be.

She said if the company finds the survey is favorable it will then make a decision on whether to build or redevelop an existing building in Rock Island.

Dustin Lemmon can be contacted at (563) 383-2493 or dlemmon@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.