I recieved some news last night concerning the Village of East Davenport. My parents owned a business in the Village in the mid ’70s so this news got my attention. It looks like someone wants to modernize the Village by tearing down a historic building at 1125 Jersey Ridge Road to erect a modern building complete with 4 garage doors facing the street. The owner is trying to bypass the Historic Comission by bringing the issue before the City Council at the June 17 meeting at 5:30 pm. If you’re not doing anything this could be an interesting meeting to attend.
Rumor is this is the same person who wanted a 42 car parking lot in Lindsay Park. I remember walking into Happy Joes Pizza Parlor to get “Joe” to fill a spot in a little baseball game, and he did. It was just a last minute game with some business owners, local kids, and whoever wanted to play. I couldn’t tell you which team won, but the
memory is priceless.
I personally feel the Village needs these historic buildings. It wouldn’t have been the same if Octoberfest was held between a bunch of slab-sided boxes. Lately we’ve been hearing all this talk about things to make our city a “destination”. The Village of East Davenport IS a destination and deserves the attention. I don’t want to lose all the events that are held each year in the Village.
If you can’t make the meeting; call the Alderman’s secretary at 888-2070 and ask her to leave a note in your Alderman’s mail box along with the Mayor’s. Let them know we don’t want our historic village buildings demolished or a parking lot in Lindsay Park. Let’s keep this part of our history alive for our grandkids enjoyment.
Comments are always welcome.
June 16, 2009 at 6:35 am
If somebody wants to tear something down and redevelop it, they should start with the strip mall west of Mound along River Drive. This house looks pretty good on the assessor’s site, kinda like the house the church tore down last year…
June 16, 2009 at 7:30 am
If that is what the owner wants, I hope he gets the business that he wants. To me, sticking a modern building in the Village would not be a good fit for the area and would decrease the value that brings the customers.
June 16, 2009 at 10:02 am
QCI,
That little mall looked shabby when the gas station was still on the corner.
Nitrous55,
Some are afraid if he tears down the historic house that he will put in condos and try to get away with saying it it his home. I’ve been enjoying the area since the 60’s and don’t think the parking lot is a
good fit either.
June 16, 2009 at 11:44 am
The guy that wants to tear down 1125 Jersey Ridge has already gone before the Historic Commission and his request to demo the property was denied. His reasons for the demo request was that the property is in poor condition and was losing money as a rental property. As his request for demo was denied he now has to take it before the city counsel.
I think that the requestor is the same gut that owns the old 11th Street precinct.
June 16, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Maybe we could get a commission to ok all work on private property. To me, the owner of property has the right to do pretty much whatever he or she wants to do with it.
June 16, 2009 at 1:39 pm
ANONYMOUS,
Thanks for sharing that, and he does own that business.
Nitrous55,
There should be something to say whatever you build fits the area, especially when it is in a historical district. At one time there were eight bars in the two block area down there.
June 16, 2009 at 5:32 pm
According to the assessor’s site, its owned by JW VILLAGE LLC. The guy who you guys are talking about is named John Wisor, so the JW part makes some sense, but it could theoretically be a coincidence.
In my opinion, if you buy something historic, or in a historic district, you should know what you’re getting into as far as extra requirements.
June 16, 2009 at 7:36 pm
QCI,
It’s not a coincidence. He also owns the 11th Street Precint bar. And I agree, it doesn’t make sense to buy a house in a historic district just to tear it down to build a new one.
June 17, 2009 at 7:36 am
I still say you can pretty much do whatever you want with your property. It is the same with the smoking ban. I’d ask the historical society and those who want to keep the old buildings to buy them up, but that would be a lost cause.
Cruiser, don’t you do construction? How about you give him a discount on fixing up the place?
June 17, 2009 at 10:41 am
Nitrous55,
I agree to a point, at the end of the day I like to get along neighbors. One of the main bones of contention, and the rumored reason the Historical Society said no is that Mr. Wisor wouldn’t submit a floor plan for the new building. If he is indeed planning on putting modern condos in a historical residential neighborhood I think he’s crossing the line. Yes I do construction, but people like this can’t afford me.