November 20, 2009 by ggackle
The river grain terminal which Davenport has long sought to remove from its city owned riverfront appears headed for relocation in downtown Bettendorf, two blocks from the city's new downtown civic center.
River/Gulf Grain Company has requested a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeking approval for establishing the river barge terminal at the foot of Bettendorf's 23rd Street. The city's new QC Waterfront Center is located south of State Street at 21st Street.
The terminal also would be just upstream from the Isle of Capri Hotel and Casino and its marina. The Goldstein family owns River/Gulf Grain as well as the riverfront property proposed for the grain terminal.
The corps issued the public notice for the permit request Nov. 12 and is seeking public comment on the grain terminal now through Dec. 11.
To download a copy of the public notice from the Corps, CLICK HERE.
A public hearing on the project will not be held unless a person requests such a public forum for "substantive reasons," according to the Corps public notice about the project.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources also must issue a permit for the grain terminal project.
The grain truck congestion and dust from the River/Gulf Grain operation along River Drive in Davenport prompted the city and its levee commission not to renew leases for the riverfront property in downtown Davenport.
The company had promised to leave the Davenport location by this fall, but informed the levee commission this week it wanted an extension until spring 2010 citing the late harvest caused by wet weather.
