Port of Dubuque
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The Port of Dubuque (also known as the Ice Harbor, 4th Street Peninsula, or the Riverfront) is the section of downtown Dubuque, Iowa that lies immediately adjacent to the Mississippi River. The area was among the first areas settled in what would become the City of Dubuque, and the State of Iowa. Historically, the area has been a center of heavy industry in Dubuque, but has recently seen extensive reinvestment and new construction. The area is now one of the main tourist destinations in Dubuque, as well as Iowa.
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[edit] Overview
The Port of Dubuque includes all of the area that lies north of the CCPR rail yards, south of East 9th Street and Dove Harbor, east of the CCPR/ICER railroad tracks, and west of the Mississippi River. It is divided into two main sections: the North Port and the South Port, which are separated by the Ice Harbor.
The Port area is separated from Downtown Dubuque's central business district by a double set of railroad tracks and an expressway that carries U.S. highways 151 & 61. Accesses to the North Port include East 5th Street and the East 3rd Street overpass. The South Port is accessible from Jones Street, and Ice Harbor Drive, which connects the North and South Ports.
As of 2006, all of the redevelopment in the area has occurred in the North Port, and the South Port remains largely industrial or underutilized. This may be due to the anticipated construction of a new Mississippi River Bridge, which will be built in the near future, south of the Julien Dubuque Bridge.
[edit] History
The Port of Dubuque was one of the first areas settled in what is now Downtown Dubuque. Its proximity to the river made the area convenient for a variety of industrial uses, including boat building, lumber transportation and storage, and ice harvesting. The 1868 opening of the first Dubuque Railroad Bridge to Illinois also strengthened the Port's role as a center for heavy industry. In addition to these purposes, the Port was a major landing site for many of the steamboats which traveled on the river. However, for most of its history, the low-lying Port area was unprotected against the frequent spring flooding of the Mississippi River. For this reason, much of the city's commercial and retail businesses were built farther inland, centered on West 9th and Main Streets.
The Port area was an ideal location for some of the city's early manufacturing companies, however. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Dubuque was a major boat building center on the Mississippi River, and this industry was centered on the Port area and the Ice Harbor. Alongside boat building, the Port was home to lumber yards, the Dubuque Star Brewery, and a Civil War-era Shot Tower.
The region also has long been a transportation center in Dubuque. U.S. highways 20, 151, 61, 52, and Iowa Highway 3 all converge in the Port of Dubuque. Also, the Chicago Central and Pacific and Iowa, Chicago and Eastern railroads run through the port area. The current Dubuque Railroad Bridge, built in the 1890s, and the Julien Dubuque Bridge, built in 1943, connected the city with population centers to the east. The Ice Harbor and Mississippi shoreline were the site of steamboat arrivals and departures in the city, and three of the city's four train stations were located in or near the area.
In 1943, the Julien Dubuque Bridge was dedicated south of the Ice Harbor, thereby moving vehicular traffic over the Port, instead of through it, along the Dubuque "High" Bridge. Following a record-breaking flood in 1965, the City of Dubuque began construction on a 30-foot high flood protection wall to protect all of the city's riverfront from the seasonal flooding of the Mississippi River. This was completed in 1973. Boat building also ended in the area in the early 1970s, and brewing came to a halt shortly after.
The Port of Dubuque would remain largely inactive until 1990. At this time, Iowa legalized riverboat gambling and the Casino Belle opened, afloat in the Ice Harbor. This boat would be replaced in the mid-1990s by the Diamond Jo Casino, named after Dubuque boatbuilder "Diamond" Joe Reynolds and his Diamond Jo Boat Line.
In the late 1990s, the City of Dubuque saw an opportunity to expand on the city's existing tourist market, by adding a major river-themed museum to the area. Alongside a new museum, the city proposed a new hotel and indoor water park attraction, a large convention center, a riverwalk, and other amenities. This was all a part of the "America's River Project," a $188 million revitalization of the North Port. In the early 2000s, the city won a huge $40 million grant from the "Vision Iowa" Fund for the construction of the various attractions.
[edit] The Port Today
Today, the Port of Dubuque is a rapidly changing area. In recent years, there has been a great deal of new construction, and much of the remaining vacant land has already been earmarked for more new development. Although the district has a strong emphasis on tourist attractions, there are retail, office, and residential projects included in proposed developments. Projects currently underway include the construction of a new office headquarters for The McGraw-Hill Companies' Higher Education Division, and a new headquarters for The Durrant Group (a Dubuque architectural firm).
With the prescence of various attractions, the Port has also become a natural gathering place for people. During the summer, the area hosts the annual America's River Festival, the Taste of Dubuque, and appearances by presidential candidates, among other events.
The revitalization of the Port of Dubuque has also led to a "ripple effect" of new development in Downtown Dubuque. Recently, buildings and storefronts along Main Street, especially south of 3rd Street, have been renovated with tourist-friendly restaurants, stores, and nightspots such as Bricktown. This area, known as "Historic Old Main" or "Lower Main", together with the city's Cable Car Square Historic District, are forming an active shopping and entertainment district. Tourists are also being drawn to cultural attractions in Downtown Dubuque, including the Grand Opera House, the Five Flags Center, Fourth Street Elevator, and the Dubuque Museum of Art, among others.
[edit] Future of the Port
[edit] America's River Project: Phase II
- Diamond Jo Casino:
The Diamond Jo Casino is planning to build a new $55 million casino and entertainment complex in the Port. The new complex will replace the casino's current riverboat gambling facility with a land-based 35,000 square-foot casino. The new casino will have 1,000 slot machines, 17 table games, a poker room, a 36-lane bowling & entertainment center, and 3 restaurants. The complex will open in the summer of 2008, and will sit at the NW corner of East 3rd & Bell Streets.[1]
- National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium:
The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium is planning a $38 million expansion involving several components. When the Diamond Jo moves into its new casino, the museum plans to renovate the Diamond Jo's Portside Building into the "Great Rivers Center," which will include a "National Rivers Center," a "Rivers Reasearch Center," additional exhibit space, and retail space. The museum will also build a new 250-seat IMAX-like "RiverMax Theater," showcasing 3-D and 4-D films. Besides museum-related movies, the theater will also show up to 8 non-museum-related films per year. In addition to these projects, the museum will take over the Diamond Jo's existing casino riverboat, but has yet to announce a planned use for the vessel. The complex will likely be complete in 2010, when fundraising has been finished. The various complexes are located on the SW and SE corners of East 3rd & Bell Streets.[2]
[edit] City of Dubuque projects
- Port of Dubuque Park:
The City of Dubuque is planning to build a new public park in the Port. While no specific location has been announced, it will likely be located to the north of the McGraw-Hill office complex, near East 5th and Bell Streets.[3]
- Public parking ramp:
The City of Dubuque and the Diamond Jo Casino are planning to build a new 1,200-1,300 space, $23 million parking ramp in the Port. The ramp is set to open in the summer of 2008, coinciding with the opening of the Diamond Jo's new casino. It will be the largest parking structure in the city, and will sit near the planned casino expansion at East 3rd & Bell Streets.[4]
[edit] Durrant Group Inc.
Dubuque-based architectural/engineering firm The Durrant Group is planning to renovate the former Adams Company building and move their new corporate headquarters there. The $3 million project is being developed in partnership with Dubuque developer Wayne Briggs and his planned Port developments. Work will begin in 2007, and likely be complete within a year. The building is located at East 5th Street & Ice Harbor Drive.[5]
[edit] McGraw-Hill Companies
The McGraw-Hill Companies is currently building a new $32 million, 140,000 square foot, 4-story office complex in the Port. The new building will house offices of McGraw-Hill's Higher Education Division, based in Dubuque. The complex will open in the summer of 2007. The building is at the NW corner of East 5th and Bell Streets.[6]
[edit] New Main development
A team of investors led by Dubuque-based developer Wayne Briggs is planning to build a mixed-use development consisting of condominiums, offices, and retail stores in the Port. The complex will include between 350,000-500,000 square feet of buildings between 5-10 stories,[7] and cost between $70-75 million. Retail space will occupy the first floor of the buildings, with office space above them, and condos priced between $250,000-$500,000 on the uppermost levels. This project also includes redevelopment of the Adams Company Building for The Durrant Group's headquarters. Construction will likely begin in late 2007/early 2008, and be completed in phases. The buildings will be built at the SW corner of East 5th and Bell Streets.[8]
[edit] Star Brewery
The former Dubuque Star Brewing Co. building is being renovated into commercial and retail space. The $8 million project, led by Dubuque-based developer Wayne Briggs, will include a 10,000 square foot winery and wine tasting room for Dubuque County-based Stone Cliff Winery.[9] Also, a new restaurant[10] will open on the building's second floor, among other tenants planned for the building. The project is underway, and businesses will likely begin opening within 2007. It is located north of the Grand River Center, near Veterans Drive and Bell Street.
[edit] Major Attractions
[edit] Diamond Jo Casino
The Diamond Jo Casino is a full-service riverboat casino, afloat in the Ice Harbor. It includes 777 slot machines, 17 table games, and several restaurants. The casino is the among the largest attractions in the area.
[edit] Grand Harbor Resort & Waterpark
The Grand Harbor Resort & Waterpark is a 193-room, family-oriented hotel complex. The facility is connected to the Grand River Center, and features a 25,000 square foot water park as its main attraction. Many of its rooms have excellent views of the Mississippi River and Downtown Dubuque.
[edit] Grand River Center
The Grand River Center is Dubuque's largest convention center. The facility features 86,000 square feet of meeting space, and regularly plays host to weddings, car shows, regional conventions, and presidential candidates. It is connected by skywalk to the Grand Harbor Resort & Waterpark, and features underground parking, high-speed internet, and catering services.
[edit] National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium is the signature attraction in the Port of Dubuque. Affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, the museum is the largest of its kind, and includes dozens of interactive, family-friendly exhibits. The complex also has a large aquarium component, including turtles, otters, fish, and other wildlife found along the river. In addition to these, the facility has theaters, a working wetland, and the restored William M. Black Dredgeboat, for tourists to explore.
[edit] Mississippi Riverwalk
The Mississippi Riverwalk is a 1/2 mile long walkway along the Mississippi riverbank in the Port of Dubuque. It runs from the Ice Harbor in the south to the Dubuque Rail Bridge and Alliant Energy Amphitheater in the north. The walkway is situated atop Dubuque's flood protection levee and provides excellent views of both the Mississippi River and Downtown Dubuque. It includes the American Trust Pavilion, benches, and numerous informational displays detailing the history of the Port of Dubuque.
The Riverwalk is one part of a series of riverfront trails and walkways recently completed by the City of Dubuque. The trail system will, in its finality, be interconnected and link up the various parks and tourist attractions along Dubuque's Mississippi Riverfront.
[edit] Shot Tower
The Dubuque Shot Tower is a National Historic Landmark, originally used to produce lead shot for the U.S. military's muskets. After many years of service, including munitions production during the American Civil War, it would later serve as a fire watchtower for a lumber yard located at the site. It was built in 1856, and is located at what is now the northern end of Bell Street, near the Dubuque Railroad Bridge. The Shot Tower is among the oldest surviving structures in Dubuque.
After many years of neglect following the demise of Dubuque's lumber industry, the tower is now being studied for planned repair costs. It will almost certainly see major repairs and restoration as a part of the riverfront revitalization effort.
[edit] Port of Dubuque Pictures
 National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium |
 America's River Festival |
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 Port from the Mississippi River |
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 American Trust Pavilion |
 American Trust Pavilion |
 American Trust Pavilion |
 National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium |
 National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium |
 Mississippi Riverwalk |
 Mississippi Riverwalk |
 Spirit of Dubuque |
 William M. Black |
[edit] References
- ^ Diamond Jo Casino: Expansion plans. Retrieved on January 19, 2007.
- ^ National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: Expansion plans. Retrieved on January 19, 2007.
- ^ Port of Dubuque Park. Retrieved on January 19, 2007.
- ^ Port of Dubuque Parking Ramp. Retrieved on February 3, 2007.
- ^ The Durrant Group: Expansion plans. Retrieved on January 19, 2007.
- ^ The McGraw-Hill Companies: Expansion plans. Retrieved on January 19, 2007.
- ^ New Main development: Height of buildings. Retrieved on January 23, 2007.
- ^ New Main development. Retrieved on January 19, 2007.
- ^ Star Brewery Renovation: Stone Cliff Winery. Retrieved on January 19, 2007.
- ^ Star Brewery Renovation: Restaurant. Retrieved on January 19, 2007.
