Davenport planners okayed concept for elevator, favor gym conversion for storm shelter at historic Johnson School

The Historic Preservation Commission of the City of Davenport on March 11 reviewed conceptual designs for alterations to the locally listed Johnson School at 1730 Wilkes Avenue, where New Plan Learning proposes to install an elevator and a storm shelter as part of a conversion to a K–6 charter school.

Commissioners and staff emphasized that building-code requirements make both an elevator and a storm shelter necessary for the building to operate as a school. City staff told the commission, “building code requirements, require that there be an elevator shaft installed as well as a storm shelter for the building to operate as a school building.”

Why it matters: The Johnson School is a locally listed historic landmark constructed in 1910; commissioners said the exterior will remain the commission’s focus and that proposed additions must preserve the building’s size, massing, scale, color, material and character under the city’s historic-preservation standards.

Key points from the meeting

- Project scope and uses: Staff described the school as occupying an entire city block west of Five Points on Locust — bounded by Howell Street, Wilkes Avenue and 17th Street — and said current use is private tenants in former classrooms. Applicant representatives confirmed the school would occupy the full building and would enroll “about 250 to 300 students” (applicant representative Bill). The applicant’s target opening date is Sept. 1, 2025, though staff and the applicant said that schedule is not final.

- Storm-shelter options: New Plan Learning presented two options: convert the above-grade gym on the north side into a shelter, or construct an underground, basement-level shelter accessed through the lower level on the south side. Applicant representatives said converting the existing gym would likely require a new steel deck and a concrete roof and interior wall reinforcement to meet shelter-code requirements. The gym’s footprint was described as roughly “2,200 or 2,700 square feet,” and staff noted code calls for roughly 1,700 square feet for a storm shelter in this context. Commissioners generally favored reuse of the gym because it meets size needs and avoids the cost and disruption of excavating an underground shelter.

- Elevator placement and design: The applicant presented two elevator locations: (1) in the corridor between the main school and the 1959 gym addition on the north side, which would provide access to four levels (lower level, mid level, first, second) but could be more complex and costly; or (2) on the south side, replacing an exterior staircase and doors, a simpler and less costly installation but with slightly reduced internal utility. Several commissioners expressed a preference for the south-side location because it would be less visually prominent to traffic on Locust Street, provided the elevator exterior matched existing brick patterns and details, and because it would be more cost effective. Commissioners and staff asked the applicant to provide material samples and detailed elevations showing how any new shaft would match the existing brick and decorative diamond pattern and to clarify whether the elevator would terminate below or at the parapet wall.

- Fenestration and historic fabric: Commissioners flagged the gym’s existing glass-block windows as likely noncompliant with code for a shelter and discussed options including replacing the openings with historically sympathetic windows and installing internal shutter systems. City staff said the commission will evaluate proposed window materials on their merits and that filling openings with cinderblock would be visually inappropriate along Locust Street.

- Next steps and timing: Staff summarized the commission’s role as limited to exterior changes and noted the commission meets monthly; submittal deadlines are 10 days before the second-Tuesday meeting. Staff said a full approval could be possible at a single subsequent meeting if the applicant provides detailed plans, materials and elevations that satisfy commissioners’ concerns. Staff also invited the applicant to submit building-permit materials in parallel to the commission review to help the project schedule.

Direct quotes (verbatim from transcript)

- City staff: “building code requirements, require that there be an elevator shaft installed as well as a storm shelter for the building to operate as a school building.”

- Applicant representative Bill: “they're anticipating about 250 to 300, students for the total enrollment.”

- Commissioner (on gym size and shelter code): “I believe the code required about 1,700 square feet for the storm shelter in the gym is about what Phil said.”

Commissioners requested that the applicant return with: detailed drawings for both proposed elevator locations, material samples for any new veneer (brick/color/mortar), elevations that show how the elevator shaft would relate to the parapet and diamond brick pattern, and proposed treatment or replacement of the gym windows. Staff said it will summarize the commission’s feedback in writing and provided the calendar and permit-submittal procedures to the applicant.

Ending: The commission did not take a formal vote on design at the March 11 meeting; it provided preliminary support for converting the gym to a storm shelter and asked for detailed plans and materials for review at a subsequent meeting.