Could it be an obstacle in the path to build a new multi use Amtrak station in Moline?
The city and private developer are now parting ways.
Despite the decision, Amtrak is still on schedule.
The federal government awarded the city and metrolink 16 million dollars to build a new multi-use Amtrak station.
The city picked Restoration St. Louis to create this new station with a train platform, market rate apartments, and a hotel.
Amtrak just needs the platform to provide service.
But Restoration St. Louis says the rest of the project became incredibly complex.
And chose to back away.
"It was very difficult to get true direction from the state, local, and the federal level, it's not just the city," says company president Amrit Gill. He says all those different bosses kept the company from doing what developers do. Coming up with a vision, and making it happen.
"That's the problem when you have so many diverse funding sources."
Both Restoration St. Louis and the city said they were disappointed they couldn't work out the full project. Moline city administrator Lew Steinbrecher released a statement saying, "The company's work has allowed the city and metrolink to better understand the potential and pitfalls of trying to do a development of this size on this site."
"It's too bad it won't be with us, we were very excited about the project and think it's incredibly important for the community," says Gill.
A new developer will need to be found to redevelop the extra parts of the project. But Moline and metrolink will still be responsible for building the actual Amtrak station. A boarding platform, ticket booth, and waiting area. Restoration St. Louis wishes the city luck. Because Gill says the Quad Cities' downtowns are crucial parts of this region.
"If you don't redevelop the downtowns than the whole region in the long term is going to find itself more irrelevant."
The route to get there, just doesn't run through Restoration St. Louis.
The Quad Cities passenger rail coalition says final design and engineering for the upgraded tracks is nearing completion.
And the department of transportation expects construction to begin this coming summer.
