Dubuque Times

The Dubuque City Council is going back to one of their biggest and oldest historic preservation efforts – the Historic Millwork District. 

The millwork industry and district in Dubuque was the economic backbone of the region for a long period in the early 20th century, and much of the infrastructure and character of the area remains. 

Back in the 2000s, the city of Dubuque undertook creating a master plan for the one million square feet of historic warehouse buildings still in town in an effort to both preserve their beauty and history and redevelop those areas into mixed-use neighborhoods, perfect for residents, businesses, artists, entrepreneurs and organizations alike. This master plan has not been updated or evaluated since 2012. 

"I think it’s worthwhile noting that the district has received, and the city received, several awards. (They received) federal and national awards for sustainability, local and state awards from planning associations, so it’s been in many ways a success," City Planner Andrew Dresdner said. 

This update is a long process, with the commission hoping to bring a final draft of the new plan to the council in April, but looking to get council’s input on where they are so far. Thus far, the city has been able to redevelop 700,000 square feet of the district, with 600,000 square feet still undeveloped and available. They also completely redid all the streets, which were in horrendous shape beforehand, that connect to the redeveloped buildings. 

They got input from residents, business owners, developers and the general public on how to move forward with the district. Many residents and general public members wanted more daily amenities and more of a destination pull for the area, making it a go-to place for shopping or a night out, etc. Businesses also loved the area, but wanted to see more foot traffic on the streets. 

Moving forward, based on input from stakeholders and people who have come to the district, the committee wants to focus on encouraging the arts and small businesses to the area. These are the groups that people feel have not been brought into the district yet, and people want to see the arts flourish more in the area. They also want to see more use and celebration of the district’s proximity to both the downtown area and the Mississippi River right next door.