The section of Davenport's 6th Street that winds behind the Republic Companies and Harborview buildings just west of Tremont Avenue is peppered with vacant lots, the result of a rash of foreclosures and "demolition-by-neglect" that ravaged the once-thriving neighborhood in the 1970s and 1980s.

The future may be brightening for this corner of the city, however, thanks to a unique public-private partnership between Genesis Medical Center and the City of Davenport.

The solution to one neighborhood's problem started with uncertainty a little further to the north. Last winter, Genesis announced a massive $138.5 million building expansion at its East Rusholme campus. But construction of the new six-story building was expected to require the demolition of 8 to 10 older homes along College and Elm streets in the project's footprint.

"Genesis officials came down to our office to talk about what they needed for re-zoning, and we had the idea to ask them about the city-owned lots we had down on 6th Street," said Bruce Berger, Davenport's interim Community Planning & Economic Development Director.

Earlier in the year, the city's planning department sent out a request for proposals for a designer interested in those lots, preferably one with a unique single-family home project in mind. Unfortunately, Berger said, only one developer responded, and they wanted to build multi-family.

Then a bit of inspiration hit.

"One of the planners said, 'what if we move the Genesis houses down to 6th Street?'" recalled Berger.

It's an ambitious plan. Moving entire houses is neither easy nor inexpensive. The city, however, has more than $1 million in federal Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds that need to be allocated by the end of June or lost.

"It's a use-it, or lose-it situation," Berger said. "Our thought is to apply that to the moving, site preparation and rehab cost once we get the houses on 6th Street."

Originally, the idea was to put the transplanted homes on the city-owned lots on the north side of the street. But a moving consultant said the topography was too steep and the approach too narrow. Instead, the city has secured purchase agreements for several lots on the south side, which the City Council is expected to approve Wednesday.

The initial plan is to start with two houses - 2119 College Avenue and 1312 Elm - that Genesis purchased with the intent to demolish. Genesis is donating the homes to the city and also pitching in on moving expenses.

Work is expected to begin in June,  after the city secures an expert moving firm.

Ken Croken, Vice President for Corporate Communications & Business Development for Genesis, said he's excited to see the homes spared the wrecking ball and used to reinvigorate another neighborhood.

"These homes have housed many generations of Davenport residents," he said. "We are delighted that this project will help see them offer shelter and house even more generations of Davenporters as we move forward with our plans to better serve the community."

3rd Ward Alderman Bill Boom lauded the project for its environmental responsibility, noting that millions of pounds of construction waste would have gone to area landfills. Transplanting the homes - several of which date back to the first half of the 20th Century - will not only re-use existing home stock, but will help retain some of the character and craftsmanship of a traditional neighborhood. Boom hopes this inspires a "green-thinking" developer to take a closer look at the lots on the north side of 6th Street and design an eco-friendly, owner-occupied project.

Berger said the long-term goal is to see the neighborhood bounce back and be a prime target for re-development. The pieces are in place, he said, noting that the Scott County Family Y is planning a large new development on the WG Block property to the west and the popularity and number of apartments in the nearby Warehouse District continues to grow.

"We think this area will appeal to a wide variety of people," Berger said. "Whether that is first-time home buyers, empty nesters looking to downsize or young professionals who want to be near downtown but want to own their own home."

"Imagine you're a spider with just one leg," says Dr. Frank King.

"You put forth immense effort to try to haul yourself around and not only does it wear you out, it's frustrating and you don't get far." King is a chiropractor and doctor of naturopathy specializing in homeopathic remedies, and author of The Healing Revolution (www.kingbio.com).

"It gets a bit easier with two legs and easier still with four legs. But it's not till you have all eight legs that you can really dance."

Dr. King explains that the eight legs represent Eight Essentials we need for optimum mental, physical and spiritual health: Empowering your human spirit; Water; Nutrition; Fitness; Sleep; Nature; Relationships; and Hands On Techniques (touch).

"It would be overwhelming and self-defeating to look at all eight areas and think, 'I have to make significant changes in every area immediately!" Dr. King says. "You don't have to and who could? I know from my experience with countless patients and friends, and even in my own life, that you can see immediate results by making a few small changes at a time."

Dr. King describes three that are easy to make and will have you feeling better quickly.

•  Drink half your body weight in ounces of spring or well water every day.
If you weigh 150 pounds, that's 75 ounces of water (about 9 cups).

"Many of us walk around dehydrated without realizing it and that can have a significant effect on our health and how we feel," Dr. King says. Dehydrated bodies trap toxins and encourage water retention - a natural defense against the chronic "drought."

"Our bodies need the steady flow of pure, spring or well water. If you don't like the taste, try mixing up to a teaspoon of sea salt into a quart of water," he says.

A simple test for dehydration: Pinch the skin on the back of your hand and hold for three seconds. When you release, if the ridge from the pinch remains for more than a second, you're probably dehydrated.

•  Take at least a few minutes every day to connect with nature. Nature brings perpetual revitalization and ongoing renewal, especially when experienced through multiple senses:  the smell of freshly turned earth or evergreens in the woods; the touch of cool stream water on your face or feet; the sight of birds on the wing and budding blooms.

"These are not just pleasant little gifts to experience - we need them for restoration, renewal, revival and rehabilitation," Dr. King says. "The more disconnected we become from the Earth, the more we inhibit our body's natural ability to heal."

•  Take a brisk, 10- to 20-minute walk every day. Walking is the simplest, most natural form of exercise. You might walk a nature trail, walk to the store instead of driving or take your pet for a stroll.

"Three brisk 10-minute walks a day are as effective at lowering blood pressure as one 30-minute walk," Dr. King says, citing an Arizona State University study.

"Outdoor walking is preferable to walking on a treadmill or other machine, since the uneven surfaces and changing directions of natural walking will engage more muscles and tendons."

Swing each arm in synchronization with the opposite foot to strengthen your cross-crawl functionality and mind-body balance.

About Dr. Frank King

Dr. Frank King is a chiropractor, doctor of naturopathy, and founder and president of King Bio, an FDA-registered pharmaceutical manufacturing company dedicated to education, research, development, manufacture and distribution of safe and natural homeopathic medicines for people and pets. Dr. King is also the author of, The Healing Revolution: Eight Essentials to Awaken Abundant Life Naturally! (www.kingbio.com). A fourth-generation farmer, Dr. King raises yak, camel, boar, wisent and American bison sold under the Carolina Bison brand. He is a member of the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia Convention of the United States.

DES MOINES, IA (05/05/2014)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald announced he has more money to return to Iowans. The spring publication of the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt is scheduled to begin soon and includes thousands of names that have been received in the last year.

"In upcoming weeks, the new names that have been added to the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt will be published," Fitzgerald said. The treasurer would also like to remind individuals they do not have to wait for the publication to begin to see if they have unclaimed property. "Simply go to greatiowatreasurehunt.com and start your search. I encourage everyone to take a few minutes and search for their name."

The Great Iowa Treasure Hunt program has returned over $175 million in unclaimed property to more than 423,000 people since Fitzgerald created it in 1983. Unclaimed property refers to money and other assets held by financial institutions or companies that have lost contact with the property's owner for a specific period of time. State law requires these institutions and companies to annually report unclaimed property to the state treasurer's office. The assets are then held until the owner or heir of the property is found. Common forms of unclaimed property include savings or checking accounts, stocks, uncashed checks, life insurance policies, utility security deposits, and safe deposit box contents.

to begin your search. Be sure to like Great Iowa Treasure Hunt on Facebook and follow the program on Twitter @GreatIATreasure.

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