The Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois Welcome a New Riverfront Destination
Davenport Main Street Landing
Davenport Main Street Landing is a 10-acre park on the Mississippi River that will reconnect downtown to the riverfront. Building off decades of studies analyzing the program, connectivity, and flood mitigation measures for this riverfront area in Iowa, Sasaki synthesized a series of recommendations into a singular vision that will introduce a regional attraction and support this thriving community for decades to come.
Anchored by two key landmarks in Davenport– LeClaire Park to the west and Lock and Dam 15, the largest roller dam in the world, to the east– Main Street Landing embodies a key riverfront area that connects Downtown Davenport to the Mississippi River. Sited at the heart of the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois (Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline), Main Street Landing will connect to regional recreation trails, monumental and iconic architecture, downtown Davenport, and a network of active and passive parks.
Main Street Landing builds off of a foundation of research from the resilience plan study. Sasaki conducted extensive research surrounding the ecology, demographics, and regional attractions to fully understand and anticipate the needs of the site.
A Dynamic New Riverfront Destination for Iowans
Main Street Landing will be transformed into an all-season riverfront plaza for recreation and activity combining art, architecture, public events, and play, while enhancing existing amenities and catalyzing development for the region. The riverfront park will engage users of all ages with attractions unlike anywhere else in the Quad Cities, on top of everything that people already love about the Mississippi—beautiful views, a dynamic riverfront, and scenic wildlife.
Main Street Landing will enhance existing amenities and catalyze development for the Davenport Riverfront and beyond.
In the middle of the park is the Adventure Zone, a multi-generational experience which will include dedicated play features,like the interactive tower structure modeled after the adjacent Figge Art Museum, a water feature, and an ice-skating rink that will transform into a multi-use flex zone in the warmer months. Passive activity zones frame views to the iconic Lock and Dam 15 on the upper Mississippi River, the surrounding landscape, and an existing amphitheater.
Celebrating the history of the site and bridging a gap in the existing riverfront pedestrian walk, the park will be accessed via a new pedestrian bridge, linking River Drive to Main Street Landing. The site will be illuminated by LED lighting and include public restroom facilities, shade structures, seating, and unique swing elements.
A proposed pedestrian bridge links the prominent River Drive to Main Street Landing, offering a walkable and scenic connection over the railroad tracks.
Engaging the Davenport Community
After two initial rounds of community engagement and gathering input from various community groups, Sasaki identified key themes and elements that will meet the needs of the Davenport community and create an engaging, unique space to accommodate a variety of uses. Themes drawn from engagement efforts included multi-generational access, flood resilience, and celebrating Lock and Dam 15, while key design elements included interactive play features, an ice skating rink, nature-driven walking trails and pathways, and a water feature.
The design for Main Street Landing drew inspiration from multiple community engagement events that took place throughout the design process.
Resilience Planning
Davenport is the largest city on the upper Mississippi River without a permanent flood wall or levee system, and the riverfront area is especially prone to regular flooding for long periods of time. With that in mind, the design team included a range of measures to mitigate damage from floods. Key areas of the site, such as the ice rink, restrooms, and play zones, are designed to sit slightly higher than the most frequent flood stages. Materiality on site, including planting, was strategically chosen to be able to recover quickly after a flood event.
Seasonally adaptive play areas are designed to sit slightly higher than the most frequent flood stages
The proposed pedestrian bridge is designed to land on a ridge and connect directly to the raised play area
Main Street Landing will be a four-season park that will transform Davenport and offer a new destination for the Quad Cities area for decades to come. The Davenport City Council approved the construction bid in December of 2024. Construction of Main Street Landing will break ground in April 2025 and anticipates completion in summer of 2026.
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