Davenport RiverCenter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids RiverCenter |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Address | 136 E. Third St. |
| Location | Davenport, Iowa |
| Coordinates | 41°31′22″N 90°34′22″W / 41.522778°N 90.572778°W |
| Owner | City of Davenport |
| Opened | 1983 |
| Expanded | 1993 |
| Enclosed space | |
| • Total space | Quad Cities Event Center: 116,700 sq ft (10,840 m2) |
The RiverCenter is a big place in downtown Davenport, Iowa, where people hold meetings, shows, and special events. It's like a giant event space! It has two main buildings. These buildings are on opposite sides of East Third Street. The famous Adler Theatre is also connected to the main RiverCenter building.
History of the RiverCenter
Planning for the RiverCenter started in the late 1970s. It was first called the "Community Activity Center." People also knew it as "Superblock." The building was finished in the early 1980s. It first opened its doors in 1983.
The RiverCenter was designed to look modern and industrial. The first building connected the Adler Theatre on one side. It also connected the Hotel Blackhawk on the other side. Together, they made a big place for events and fun in the Quad Cities area. This first part of the RiverCenter had about 20,500 square feet of space. It had a large hall and six smaller rooms. An open area, called an atrium, was built over what used to be Perry Street.
An artist named Sol LeWitt made art for the RiverCenter. He created a sculpture called Tower 1984. He also made two drawings on the walls. These were the first public art projects in Davenport. The tower was later moved to the Figge Art Museum in 2004. One of the wall drawings also moved to the museum.
Later, people decided the RiverCenter needed to be bigger. In the fall of 1993, a new section opened. This new part was on the south side of East Third Street. It also had a modern, industrial design. This expansion added about 49,000 square feet of space. It included another atrium and a large hall. There were also four more breakout rooms and an executive meeting room. A skywalk was built over East Third Street. This connected the two parts of the RiverCenter.
A park called Kaiserslautern Square Park was built next to the new building. This park is named after one of Davenport's sister cities. Money from riverboat gambling helped pay for the RiverCenter's expansion. Riverboat gambling started in the area in 1991. A green space called Perry Park was finished in 2002. It is on the south side of the building.
The city of Davenport owns both the RiverCenter and the Adler Theatre. A company called VenuWorks has managed them since 1998.
Adler Theatre
The Adler Theatre is a large performing arts center. It has seats for 2,400 people. It first opened on November 25, 1931. Back then, it was called the RKO Orpheum. The theater was designed in the Art Deco style. This style was very popular in the 1920s and 1930s.
Work to restore the old RKO Orpheum began in 1981. A company called Lee Enterprises gave $1 million to help. The theater was then renamed the Adler. It was named after E.P. Adler and his son Philip. They were newspaper publishers who led Lee Enterprises. More updates happened in 2005 and 2006. These included making the stage bigger.
Today, the Adler Theatre is home to the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. It is also home to Ballet Quad Cities. Many different shows come to the theater. These include Broadway touring companies and other performances. The theater and the old Hotel Mississippi around it are important buildings. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Quad Cities Event Center
On September 22, 2010, some important places teamed up. The RiverCenter, the Adler Theatre, the Hotel Blackhawk, and the Radisson Quad City Plaza Hotel joined together. They announced a plan to market themselves as the "Quad Cities Event Center."
Even though each place is still separate, they work together. They advertise and promote themselves as one big complex. All three places are connected by skywalks. Together, they offer a huge amount of space for events. This includes about 116,700 square feet in total.
Images for kids
-
RiverCenter's north building
-
Inside the north building atrium
-
The Adler Theatre's sign
-
RiverCenter's south building from East 3rd Street
-
RiverCenter's south building from East 2nd Street
-
Inside the south building atrium
-
The Hotel Blackhawk
