New Davenport Mayor offers update on a “New Day” for the city
Davenport Mayor Jason Gordon delivered his first “State of the City” address Thursday morning, June 11, at the Putnam Museum and Science Center.
Under the theme, “A New Day in Davenport,” Mayor Gordon’s speech focused on the major projects and initiatives underway across the city while also looking ahead to how the City Council’s vision will guide future decision-making. The presentation highlighted accomplishments in three key areas: neighborhood investment, organizational stability, and community connection.
The newly elected City Council arrived with a clear directive to invest more in neighborhood streets, and the city moved quickly to allocate an additional $1.5 million for neighborhood street projects equivalent to 36 city blocks, according to a city release Thursday.
The Main Street Landing riverfront recreational area (pictured with the existing Skybridge) will include a pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks and railroad quiet zones.
Overall, the city’s Fiscal Year 2027 Capital Improvement Program includes $24.5 million for the street network. Davenport is also investing in its heritage neighborhoods through the Davenport DREAM Project. DREAM allows homeowners in qualifying areas to apply for funding to make exterior improvements. Round 8 will launch in July, along with a new round of Commercial DREAM, a similar initiative focused on commercial properties in the Rockingham Corridor. Mayor Gordon also provided an update on the city’s role in developing solutions for people experiencing homelessness in the region, the release said.
Led by the Quad Cities Community Foundation and the Downtown Davenport Partnership, this regional approach is focused on connecting people to housing, addressing complex behavioral health and support needs, and maintaining safe, welcoming public spaces. “I am fully committed to taking bold action to address this city-wide challenge,” Mayor Gordon said. “All the right people are in the room in this collaboration to make a positive impact on people and families experiencing homelessness.”
Davenport Mayor Jason Gordon at a January 2026 press conference at Davenport Police Department (photo by Jonathan Turner).
In his talk, Gordon highlighted the importance of advocacy in bringing federal funding back to the community through grants that support critical infrastructure projects. Over the past five years, the City of Davenport has secured $82 million in federal grant funding.
Recent examples include the berm and pumping system defending the Water Pollution Control Plant, the Eastern Avenue bridge reconstruction, and the purchase of a new fire rescue boat for river operations. New leadership is also a key component of long-term organizational stability. Mayor Gordon highlighted the early successes of Fire Chief Jeff VanderWiere and, in recognition of the recent retirement of Police Chief Jeff Bladel, announced the creation of the Chief Jeffery E. Bladel Legacy of Service Award, the city release said.
The annual award will recognize a department employee whose dedication, innovation, and leadership have significantly advanced the department’s mission through gun-violence reduction efforts and the effective use of data-driven analytics. The first recipient will be named later this year.
An aerial rendering of the $27-million Main Street Landing project, which is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2026.
Mayor Gordon presented his vision for an engaged city where residents are welcomed into the decision-making process and invited to share in the city’s success. “We are reclaiming the narrative of who we are as a city,” he said. “This is not the Davenport of five or ten years ago. We feel the momentum pushing us forward.”
Providing an update on Main Street Landing, Gordon thanked the hundreds of people over the past 30 years who envisioned a destination on the riverfront and the community’s determination to bring that vision to life. Main Street Landing remains on schedule for completion in late 2026.
No local taxpayer dollars are being used to build Main Street Landing. Instead, the entire program ($27.3 million) will be paid for using special use funding that can only be spent for this purpose. Here’s the breakdown:
State of Iowa | Destination Iowa grant: $9.6 million
American Rescue Plan Act: $6 million
CPKC Community Investment: $6 million
Figge Art Museum | Private Fundraising: $2.4 million
Federal Railroad Administration safety grant: $2.7 million
Regional Development Authority: $375,000
Scott County Regional Development Authority: $187,500
Project total: $27.3 million
Second, the money paying for Main Street Landing cannot be used to fix roads, according to the city. Davenport has currently budgeted over $22 million in total road work in the FY2026 Capital Improvement Plan. To see FAQs on Main Street Landing, click HERE.
Davenport Mayor Jason Gordon delivered the 2026 State of the City addr4ess to about 200 people Thursday, June 11 at a breakfast meeting at the Putnam Museum and Science Center.
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