Forrest Block
Encyclopedia
The Forrest Block is a building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa
, United States
and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
next door, the Hibernia Hall
two doors north, The Linograph Company Building
, the W.D. Petersen Memorial Music Pavilion
and the Davenport Municipal Stadium (now Modern Woodmen Park) in Davenport. All of the buildings on the east side of Brady Street, including the Philip Worley House
are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Renwick Building
, which is also listed on the NRHP, is on the block diagonal from the Forrest Block.
The Forrest Block was constructed in 1875 by John Forrest as a commercial block. The building is designed to have retail businesses on the main floor and professional offices on the upper floors.
Over the course of its history the building has housed small retail businesses, doctor’s offices, a billiards parlor, a tavern and an adult movie theater. It was also the location of the city’s YMCA
organization in 1886. It also housed the post office and the Davenport Health Institute in 1890, the Tri-City Institute of Osteopathy, the Davenport Cooking School, and the Woodmen Hall in 1900. The building was called the Henley block for a while starting in 1910. The building has not been occupied since the 1980s. The building was nearly torn down in 1991 to make way for a parking lot, but the city council blocked demolition because of protests by historic preservationists. Although it has deteriorated over the years the building has remained structurally sound because when it was constructed it was “over-built” with extra floor bracing and other heavy-duty construction elements, and the building’s owners in 1999 received a state grant to install a new roof that helped stabilize the building.
Highland Brothers bought the building for $130,000 in 2005. The following year they announced plans to convert the building into 10 luxury condominiums and commercial space on the first-floor. Work began on the renovation project, but soon ended. In 2009 the building was bought by Restoration St. Louis, who also bought the Blackhawk Hotel
and they were in the process of renovating it at the time. They started renovating the Forrest Block building in March 2010. The $3.5 million renovation will turn the building into 26 market rate apartments. Four of the units will be live-and-work spaces.
of pressed metal. On the Brady Street elevation the building features a pavilion which projects from the façade. It contains oversized Roman arched windows and a segmented cornice.
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
The architect of the Forrest Block was Frederick G. Clausen, who was a part of the firm Clausen and Kruse which also designed the Democrat BuildingDemocrat Building
Democrat Building is located at 407-411 Brady Street, Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-History:...
next door, the Hibernia Hall
Hibernia Hall
The Hibernia Hall is a Romanesque Revival building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-History:...
two doors north, The Linograph Company Building
The Linograph Company Building
The Linograph Company Building is located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
, the W.D. Petersen Memorial Music Pavilion
W.D. Petersen Memorial Music Pavilion
W.D. Petersen Memorial Music Pavilion is located on Beiderbecke Drive in LeClaire Park, 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 1993...
and the Davenport Municipal Stadium (now Modern Woodmen Park) in Davenport. All of the buildings on the east side of Brady Street, including the Philip Worley House
Philip Worley House
The Phillip Worley House is located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. To the south of the Worley House are the Hibernia Hall, the Democrat Building and the Forrest Block. They are also listed on the National...
are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Renwick Building
Renwick Building
The Renwick Building is 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. It is known locally for the large painted sign on the north side of the building...
, which is also listed on the NRHP, is on the block diagonal from the Forrest Block.
The Forrest Block was constructed in 1875 by John Forrest as a commercial block. The building is designed to have retail businesses on the main floor and professional offices on the upper floors.
Over the course of its history the building has housed small retail businesses, doctor’s offices, a billiards parlor, a tavern and an adult movie theater. It was also the location of the city’s YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
organization in 1886. It also housed the post office and the Davenport Health Institute in 1890, the Tri-City Institute of Osteopathy, the Davenport Cooking School, and the Woodmen Hall in 1900. The building was called the Henley block for a while starting in 1910. The building has not been occupied since the 1980s. The building was nearly torn down in 1991 to make way for a parking lot, but the city council blocked demolition because of protests by historic preservationists. Although it has deteriorated over the years the building has remained structurally sound because when it was constructed it was “over-built” with extra floor bracing and other heavy-duty construction elements, and the building’s owners in 1999 received a state grant to install a new roof that helped stabilize the building.
Highland Brothers bought the building for $130,000 in 2005. The following year they announced plans to convert the building into 10 luxury condominiums and commercial space on the first-floor. Work began on the renovation project, but soon ended. In 2009 the building was bought by Restoration St. Louis, who also bought the Blackhawk Hotel
Blackhawk Hotel
The Blackhawk Hotel is an eleven-story brick and terra cotta building located in Downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has returned to its original name Hotel Blackhawk. The hotel is located next to the north building of the RiverCenter, Davenport's convention center, and across the street...
and they were in the process of renovating it at the time. They started renovating the Forrest Block building in March 2010. The $3.5 million renovation will turn the building into 26 market rate apartments. Four of the units will be live-and-work spaces.
Architecture
The Forrest Block is a three-story, brick structure built on a stone foundation. Its location on a corner lot contributes to its imposing character. On the exterior of the building, each floor is distinct from the others. The windows on the main floor are nearly flat and become more rounded by they ascend. Each window has its own elaborate hood. The building is crowned with an imposing, bracketed corniceCornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
of pressed metal. On the Brady Street elevation the building features a pavilion which projects from the façade. It contains oversized Roman arched windows and a segmented cornice.