Kahl Building | |
Location | 326 W. 3rd St. Davenport, Iowa |
---|---|
Coordinates | 41°31′21″N90°34′41″W / 41.52250°N 90.57806°W |
Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
Built | 1920 |
Built by | Walsh-Kahl Construction Co. |
Architect | Arthur Ebeling Rapp and Rapp |
Architectural style | Early Commercial |
Part of | Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District (ID100005546) |
MPS | Davenport MRA |
NRHP reference No. | 83002456 [1] |
Added to NRHP | July 07, 1983 |
The Kahl Building is a historic building located in Downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. [1] In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. [2] The building also includes the Capitol Theatre.
The Kahl Building is ten stories tall and rises 146 feet (45 m) above the ground. [3] It was designed by Davenport architect Arthur Ebeling who used as inspiration the works of Chicago architects William Holabird, John Root and Louis Sullivan. [4] In fact Sullivan's Wainwright Building in St. Louis is considered a model after which the Kahl Building was designed. [5] Sullivan's influence can be seen in the more elaborate ornamentation on the lower floors while the upper floors are relatively plain. [6] Their decoration is confined to recessed spandrel panels. The building is capped with a staccato pairing of round-arch windows and an elaborate cornice.
In 1920, the building was constructed by Henry Kahl and Walsh-Kahl Construction for $1.5 million. [5] It was considered high-quality office space, which was in demand at the time, and was fully leased before construction was complete. [2] The building is composed of steel frame construction with stone and decorative terra cotta facing materials. The building's sense of height is highlighted by recessing the spandrel panels between the floors and behind the vertical piers. [4] It is considered an "exceptional example of the influence of the Chicago School on commercial architecture." [5] Historically, the building has contained 184 office suites, several retail shops, a restaurant, and the Capital Theater. [5] The lobby walls were faced with Alabama marble that is swirled in pinks, and it featured bronze and copper doors. [7]
In 1994 the family of Davenport Banker V.O. Figge and his wife Elizabeth, who was Henry Kahl's daughter, donated the building to the Scott Community College Foundation, which used it for academic purposes. The Eastern Iowa Community College District announced in August 2014 their intention to leave the Kahl Building and relocate to a new campus in the former First Federal Savings and Loan Association Building and First Midwest Bank building on West Third Street between Brady and Main streets. [8] The new college campus was opened in January 2018, and the Kahl Building was sold to Jim Bergman of JNB Capitol Building for $2 million in June. [7] [9] A $20 million project renovated the Kahl Building into 65 market-rate apartments. That project was completed in 2023. [10] It preserved the building's original gold elevators, marble floors, handcrafted plasterwork, and detailed artwork. [11]
The Capitol Theatre opened on December 25, 1920. Builder Henry C. Kahl wanted to provide a 2,500-seat, palace-type theater. Kahl planned a luxurious movie theater larger than any in Davenport or Iowa. When opened, the theater boasted grand pianos, gold leaf decoration, and several chandeliers. Its interior was designed by the Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp. [3] The original pipe organ was built by the M. P. Moller Pipe Organ Company. It was replaced by a Wicks pipe organ for $30,000 and contains 700 pipes. [5] [12] The organ received a $75,000 restoration in 2000, and it is now the only Wicks theater organ that remains in its original home. [5] In 1925, a 7-story stage house and stage expansion were constructed. It was designed by the Davenport architectural firm of Clausen & Kruse. Priester Construction Company of Davenport was the general contractor. The theater joined the Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO) circuit in 1927. It discontinued operating as a working movie theater in 1977 and was the last of the city's movie palaces in operation at the time. [2] By 2023 it had been 14 years since the theater had been used for any performance. [10]
A variety of performers have performed on its stage including vaudeville shows. It hosted the Winter Dance Party in 1959 that included Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens before their deaths five days later in an airplane crash outside of Clear Lake, Iowa. [12] The Capitol currently has a capacity of 2,000 seats. The Kahl Building's renovation includes the Capitol Theatre whose planned use will be for small concerts, plays, comedians, and movies. [7] In 2023, a $24 million renovation and restoration of the theater was completed. [11] A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on July 12, and the first concert in venue by Blackberry Smoke is scheduled on September 29, 2023.
Davenport, Iowa, was part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1814, during the War of 1812 the British military, along with the Saux and Fox Indian tribes fought against the Americans near Davenport. In August, Major Zachary Taylor, later President, fought a battle east of what is now Credit Island Park, in Davenport. An outpost was set up at Fort Armstrong and George Davenport and Antoine LeClaire were stationed there.
St. Mary's Catholic Church was a parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The church building is located in the west end of Davenport, Iowa, United States, at the corner of Fillmore and W. 6th Streets. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Complex. The designation includes the church building and rectory on the west side of Fillmore Street, and the former parochial school building and convent on the east side. A former school building operated by the parish two blocks north on West Eighth Street is also on the National Register and is listed as St. Mary's Academy. The parish ceased operations in July 2020 when it was merged into St. Anthony's Church downtown. The parish campus is being acquired by the nonprofit organization Humility Homes & Services, which is operated by the Congregation of the Humility of Mary.
The Hotel Blackhawk is an eleven-story brick and terra cotta building located in Downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is a Marriott Autograph Collection property.
The F. H. Miller House is a historic building located in the central part of Davenport, Iowa, United States. The house served as the official residence for two of Davenport's Catholic bishops and as a bed and breakfast. In 2008, the building then housed the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations for St. Ambrose University, and was called the St. Ambrose Alumni House. In November of 2023, it was purchased privately from the university and is now The Hilltop Inn of Davenport. The property is currently being restored and preserved as best as possible to many of its original styles and furnishings. The Hilltop Inn of Davenport has recently began business and is operating as a boutique hotel and event rental center for various gatherings. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983.
The J.H.C. Petersen's Sons' Store also known as the Petersen Harned-Von Maur Store Building and the Redstone Building, is a historic building in Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties and on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. The former department store building was modeled on the Rookery Building in Chicago.
Democrat Building is a historic building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. The historic newspaper building is now an apartment building known as The Democrat Lofts.
Davenport Bank and Trust Company was the leading bank of the Quad Cities metropolitan area for much of the 20th century and for the surrounding region of eastern Iowa and western Illinois. It was once Iowa's largest commercial bank, and the headquarters building has dominated the city's skyline since it was constructed in 1927 at the corner of Third and Main Streets in downtown Davenport, Iowa. It was acquired by Norwest Bank of Minneapolis in 1993 and now operates as part of Wells Fargo following a 1998 merger of the two financial institutions. The historic building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 under the name of its predecessor financial institution American Commercial and Savings Bank. In 2016 the National Register approved a boundary increase with the Davenport Bank and Trust name. It was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District in 2020. It remains the tallest building in the Quad Cities, and is today known as Davenport Bank Apartments as it has been redeveloped into a mixed-use facility housing commercial, office, and residential space.
The Mississippi Lofts and Adler Theatre is an apartment building and theater complex located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places by its original name, the Hotel Mississippi and RKO Orpheum Theater. The Hotel Mississippi was listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties in 2005. In 2020 the complex was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District.
The Forrest Block is a historic building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District.
The Davenport Hotel was a historic building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. It was an apartment building called The Davenport. A rear portion of the building collapsed in 2023. The majority of the building was demolished on June 12, 2023. Several remaining sections were demolished over the next three days.
The Hose Station No. 1 is a historic building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties in 1999. In 2019 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Motor Row and Industrial Historic District.
Taylor School is a historic building located in Davenport, Iowa, United States. The former grade school was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties in 2005.
The Henry Kahl House is a historic building located on a bluff overlooking the West End of Davenport, Iowa, United States. What was a private residence was converted into a nursing home in 1955, and a senior apartment facility in 2016. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The Arthur Ebeling House is a historic building located on the west side of Davenport, Iowa, United States. The Colonial Revival house was designed by its original owner, Arthur Ebeling. It was built from 1912 to 1913 and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The Burtis–Kimball House Hotel and the Burtis Opera House were located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. The hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It has since been torn down and it was delisted from the National Register in 2008. The theatre building has been significantly altered since a fire in the 1920s. Both, however, remain important to the history of the city of Davenport.
The Renwick Building is a historic building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, and on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties since 2000. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. It is known locally for the large painted sign on the north side of the building depicting the Bix 7 Road Race.
The Hiller Building, also known as the Schick Apartments, is located on the edge of downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. The Federal style building is a row house. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 1983 it was included as a contributing property in the West Third Street Historic District.
This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. Downtown Davenport is defined as being all of the city south of 5th Street from Marquette Street east to the intersection of River Drive and East 4th Street. The locations of National Register properties and districts may be seen in an online map.
The Putnam-Parker Block, also known as City Square, are historic structures located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. The property includes three buildings that take up the south half of block 43 in what is known as LeClaire's First Addition. The main façade of the structures face south along West Second Street. They were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. In 2020, it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. The former Putnam Building now houses a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel named The Current Iowa.
The Union Arcade is an apartment building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. The building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 by its original name Union Savings Bank and Trust. Originally, the building was built to house a bank and other professional offices. Although it was not the city's largest bank, and it was not in existence all that long, the building is still associated with Davenport's financial prosperity between 1900 and 1930. From 2014 to 2015 the building was renovated into apartments and it is now known as Union Arcade Apartments. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District.
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