Kahl Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Kahl Building
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 326 W. 3rd St. Davenport, Iowa |
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| 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 |
| Added to NRHP | July 07, 1983 |
The Kahl Building is a very old and important building in Davenport, Iowa. It's so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This means it's officially recognized as a historic landmark. In 2020, it became a key part of the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. Inside this amazing building, you'll also find the famous Capitol Theatre.
Contents
The Kahl Building's Story
The Kahl Building stands ten stories tall. It reaches about 146 feet (45 meters) into the sky. A Davenport architect named Arthur Ebeling designed it. He got ideas from famous architects in Chicago, like Louis Sullivan.
Sullivan's Wainwright Building in St. Louis was a big inspiration. You can see Sullivan's style in the Kahl Building. The lower floors have lots of fancy decorations. The upper floors are simpler, with designs only in the panels between windows. The very top of the building has cool round-arch windows and a detailed cornice (a decorative molding).
Building Design and Construction
Henry Kahl and Walsh-Kahl Construction built the Kahl Building in 1920. It cost about $1.5 million, which was a lot of money back then! People really wanted good office spaces. The building was completely rented out even before it was finished.
The building has a strong steel frame. Its outside is covered with stone and decorative terra cotta (a type of baked clay). The way the panels between the floors are set back makes the building look even taller. It's a great example of the "Chicago School" style of building design.
Historically, the Kahl Building had 184 office spaces. It also had several shops, a restaurant, and the Capitol Theatre. The lobby walls were made of beautiful pink-swirled Alabama marble. The doors were shiny bronze and copper.
New Life for the Building
In 1994, the family of banker V.O. Figge donated the building. His wife, Elizabeth, was Henry Kahl's daughter. The building was given to the Scott Community College Foundation. The college used it for classes and learning.
In August 2014, the Eastern Iowa Community College District decided to move. They opened a new campus in January 2018. The Kahl Building was then sold to Jim Bergman for $2 million in June 2018.
A big project costing $20 million started to fix up the Kahl Building. It was turned into 65 modern apartments. This renovation was finished in 2023. They kept many original features, like the gold elevators, marble floors, and detailed artwork.
The Capitol Theatre
The Capitol Theatre first opened its doors on December 25, 1920. Henry C. Kahl wanted to build a grand theater. He planned for a huge, fancy movie theater with 2,500 seats. It was meant to be bigger than any other theater in Davenport or even Iowa.
When it opened, the theater was truly luxurious. It had grand pianos, gold leaf decorations, and many sparkling chandeliers. The Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp designed the inside. The original pipe organ was built by the M. P. Moller Pipe Organ Company. Later, a Wicks pipe organ replaced it for $30,000. This organ has 700 pipes!
In 2000, the Wicks organ was restored for $75,000. It is now the only Wicks theater organ still in its original home. In 1925, a 7-story stage house was added. This made the stage much bigger. The Davenport firm of Clausen & Kruse designed this addition.
The theater joined the Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO) circuit in 1927. It stopped showing movies in 1977. It was the last of Davenport's grand movie palaces still open at that time. By 2023, the theater had not been used for performances for 14 years.
Famous Performances and Future Plans
Many different performers have been on the Capitol Theatre stage. It hosted vaudeville shows, which were popular variety acts. In 1959, it hosted the Winter Dance Party. Famous musicians like Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens performed there. Sadly, they died in a plane crash five days later near Clear Lake, Iowa.
The Capitol Theatre can now hold 2,000 people. The Kahl Building's renovation also included the Capitol Theatre. It is now used for smaller concerts, plays, comedians, and movies. A $24 million renovation of the theater was completed in 2023. A special ceremony was held on July 12, 2023. The first concert in the newly renovated venue was by Blackberry Smoke on September 29, 2023.
