Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Flood Mitigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Design review board signs off on flood‑protection work at Union Station, including removable gates and a brick‑veneered wall
Summary
The board approved staff‑recommended flood‑mitigation work at Union Station: removal and salvage of brick pavers, replacement with concrete in key areas, installation of a concrete flood wall with brick veneer and stone cap, and use of removable aluminum gates and Hesco barriers. Staff said FEMA disaster funds support the work and construction timing will be coordinated with tenants and events.
The Davenport Design Review Board approved staff‑recommended flood‑protection measures for Union Station that include replacing select brick pavers with concrete, installing a concrete flood wall faced with brick veneer and stone cap, and adding removable aluminum flood gates and Hesco barriers for episodic installation.
Staff framed the project as a FEMA‑and‑DNR‑informed mitigation response to repeated flooding (noting notable events in April 2019 and April 2023). Planners explained that brick pavers are porous and can allow flood waters to "bubble up" through the ground, which contributed to previous interior flooding; the proposed work is intended to reduce that risk while preserving historic fabric by salvaging brick where possible.
The design materials show a roughly 7‑foot wall (finished height) with removable gate assemblies that are deployed only in flood risk periods. Staff told the board the project is funded by disaster‑recovery dollars tied to prior flood damage; timing will require coordination because construction access could disrupt the farmers market and tenants at the station's restaurant.
A motion to approve the staff recommendation passed on roll call. Staff said the work will proceed to procurement and construction scheduling and that some final FEMA approvals and bidding steps remain before on‑site work, likely the next construction season.
Board members expressed understanding of the tradeoffs between flood protection and maintaining historic streetscape materials; staff noted bricks removed from the public walk will be salvaged and returned to the city where feasible.
