A membership meeting of the GC-HHDA will be held Sat., Feb. 18, 2012 at the Davenport Police Station Community Room, 420 Harrison St. from 10am-noon.
About PJ
I've lived in and appreciated this Gold Coast neighborhood for 20 years and have seen wonderful progress in homes that have moved from being boarded up to those greatly renovated. I've worn hats as a teacher, a painter, a project manager, and dedicated volunteer in making this a great place to live.
2012 Ice Cream Social
January 29, 2012 By
On Sunday, July 15, 2011 from 2-4 pm in Herington Park on Gaines St. the GC&HHDA will be sponsoring its annual Ice Cream Social. There will be ice cream, drinks, desserts and games provided in this setting with a shaded shelter area and lots of playground equipment. Thanks to Tanise Colvin for organizing this event. Davenport’s Mayor Gluba, Aldermen and other neighborhood groups have been invited so it’s a great chance to get to know not only people in the Gold Coast area but throughout the community.
2011 High Tea Cancelled
October 21, 2011 By
The annual High Tea has been cancelled due to unavailable host homes. We look forward to hosting teas in the future.
Gold Coast Awarded “Great Places in America”
October 6, 2011 By
The Gold Coast & Hamburg Historic District received a “Great Places in America” award for neighborhoods from the American Planning Association (APA) on Oct. 4, 2011 at a program at the Beiderbecke Inn, Western Ave. and 7th St. in Davenport, IA. For the past 5 years the APA has given national awards in the categories of streets, neighborhoods and public spaces. The Gold Coast is the first in Iowa to receive the neighborhood award, and is one of 10 neighborhoods in the nation to be named by APA in 2011.
David Wilwerding, AICP, President of the Iowa APA presented the award to Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba and PJ Slobojan, President of the Gold Coast-Hamburg Historic District Association. These awards hit such national media as USA Today, Forbes, NPR, the Bloomberg Report.
According the APA’s web site “APA’s flagship program celebrates places of exemplary character, quality, and planning. Places are selected annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow. ”
Also, “APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be – not only to visit, but to live and work every day. America’s truly great streets, neighborhoods and public spaces are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement.”
Please continue to check this web site for further information
http://www.planning.org/greatplaces/
http://www.wqad.com/videobeta/?watchId=3c7f1b88-eddf-45f1-9f7a-267099f85eaf
http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/egov/docs/1318011770879.htm
2011 Home Tour Great Success
October 5, 2011 By
The Gold Coast Tour of Sept. 24-25 2011 was a huge success. The 5 homes on the tour were spectacular and compliments were flowing. “One of the best I’ve been to…”; “I can’t imagine them (911 W. 7th St.) changing from a boarded up house to this in 2 years!”; “This is my first tour and I’m so impressed…”; “the magnitude of the brochures was awesome”; and on and on. Guests, homeowners and tour committee alike were all delighted with the tour. In spite of cloudy and sometimes rainy conditions, approximately 800 guests viewed the homes, the Jipp Center and the German American Heritage Center. This was an increase of approximately 200 people over the past few years of the tour.
Guests walked, drove or took the free bus from one house to the next in an area that spanned the Gold Coast boundaries. To add to the ambience there was live music at 614 W. 5th St. and area residents, Pam and Dennis LaRoque, sauntered the neighborhood in period costume. The brochures contained a complete history of the homes and original homeowners, and the newly revised Walking Tour Brochures were handed out.
Though a fund raiser Gold Coast residents see the annual home tour as an invitation to guests to view the wonderful homes in the historic district. Our thanks to homeowners DeAnna Walter and Rick Kimmel (614 W. 5th St.) Lois and Maurice Woods (604 Gaines St.), Mike Ryan (625 Scott St.), Judy and Jim Thomas (911 W. 7th St.), Laura and Jim Countryman (927 W. 8th St.); Our thanks also to over 70 volunteers from within and outside the neighborhood who helped to make this a success. And our thanks go to the brochure advertisers who continually support the Gold Coast. Home tour committee members were Sara Bartholomew, Marion Meginnis, PJ Slobojan.
Scott St. Project Plans
September 7, 2011 By
The Gold Coast bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River present a unique setting for walks, steps, and lighting. Previously the Gold Coast & Hamburg Historic District Association (GC&HHDA) has been instrumental in the planning and fund raising for the Ripley St. and the Western Ave. streets and steps. These areas have been adorned with decorative lighting, period railings and entries and plantings. The Scott St. hill is now the focus for a further similar project.
The first phase of the Scott St. Hill project is the entry at the top of the steps at the alley between W. 6th and W. 7th St. The entry will be a decorative concrete base designed as limestone topped by a period iron railing. Though similar to the Western Ave. entry, the base and railing will be shorter and wider because of the topography of the area. Also, no arch will be included.
Funding totalling approximately $8000 for the Scott St. entry project is thanks to Davenport Alderman’s Beautification Funds, United Neighbors and GC&HHDA. The project is expected to be completed in 2011 with Kelly Construction building the base and Boyler’s manufacturing the railing. GC&HHDA member Mike Ryan is in charge of the project.
Cookout a Success
June 27, 2011 By
Despite the rain approximately 30 neighbors gathered for a cookout Sat. June 25, 2011 at 729 Western Ave. Hardy souls are used to the rain as the same thing happened last year! In spite of the dampness a great time was had with lots of good food, music and conversation.
Historic Preservation Ordinance Support
June 27, 2011 By
The GC&HHDA voted and resolved to support of the Davenport Historic Preservation Ordinance proposal at a meeting held June 25, 2011. The proposed changes in the existing ordinance would strengthen the penalties for willful demolition, clarify the role of Davenport City Council in the appeal process, achieve consistency with National Parks Service language for Historic Preservation, clarify the demolition process and the Certificate of Appropriateness. The resolution is as follows:
Because, the Gold Coast and Hamburg Historic District Association supports the preservation of Davenport’s built heritage,
And, because we support that the preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods to improve the quality of life, encourage private investment, and generally enhance the economic viability of the entire city,
And, because we believe the proposed changes to the historic preservation ordinance will improve and clarify numerous portions of the existing ordinance that are confusing and unclear,
We hereby resolve, that The Gold Coast and Hamburg Historic District Association strongly supports the proposed changes to the Davenport Historic Preservation Ordinance and we strongly urge all of the Davenport City Council members to support the adoption of this amended ordinance by voting “YES” on this issue.
The GC&HHDA will actively pursue the passage of the proposal through petitions, letters and attendance at Davenport City Council meetings. Further discussions of the proposed changes at Council will likely be held in early August 2011. For further information or how you can help contact davidcordes@gmail.com or pjs312@q.com.
“Built to Last: Jewels of the Gold Coast”
June 15, 2011 By
The Gold Coast & Hamburg Historic District Association Home Tour, “Built to Last: Jewels of the Gold Coast”, is slated for Sept. 24-25, 2011. Five lovely renovated historic homes as well as the German American Heritage Center, the Jipp Center and Cafe d’Marie will be open on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 11 am-4 pm and Sunday, Sept. 25 from 1-4 pm. 2011 is also the year the City of Davenport is celebrating 175 years of life on the Mississippi.
The historic neighborhood association has been hosting home tours starting in 1990, and area homeowners have opened their historic homes to the public since that time. The five homes on the 2011 home tour are as follows: The Henning J. Witt Home at 604 Gaines St. was built circa 1894 and is an excellent example of Queen Anne style. The Henry Struck Home, 614 W. 5th St. is the first of Struck’s homes built circa 1877 and is a vernacular Italianate/Greek Revival style. The Hans Stoltenberg Home is at 911 W. 7th St. and built circe 1870. This is a vernacular transitional form of Federal and Italianate styles. In circa 1870 the Peter Bindschaedel Home was built at 927 W. 8th St. This McClelland Style Davenport 2 1/2 was also the home and studio of local artists John & Isabel Bloom. The Peter & Eliza Goldschmidt Home at 625 Scott St., built circa 1882, was also the home of German emigrant Charles Voss. This is an early gabled Italianate style modernized with Colonial details and a large wrap around porch.
The German American Heritage Center at 712 W. 2nd St. is located in the original Germania House and will also be open to the public. Also open is the Jipp Center, circa 1868, at 730 Gaines St. which now houses the Architectural Rescue Shop. Cafe d’Marie , housed in the 1877 Henry Struck home at 614 W. 5th St. will also be open for the event.
Ticket costs for the event are $10 for adults and free for children under 12 accompanied by adults. Tickets may be purchased at any of the tour homes. Profits from the event will help sponsor special projects and maintain the responsibilities of the GC&HHDA such as the Gold Coast Park and the historic decorative lights throughout the neighborhood. Current project money will be used for an entry and iron railing at the top of Scott St. steps to be installed in 2011.
Check this web site for further updates. For more information contact, pjs312@q.com.