Wednesday night we learned the Iowa Department of Transportation will finish buying up properties in the way of I-74 in Bettendorf by the end of next year.
Those buildings will be torn down less than a year later.
Allowing the state to begin the bidding process for road work to get started.
The city has an incentive plan in place to keep those businesses near downtown.
"It paid for the brick, it paid for some other aesthetics around the building the city wants to see, like green things, so sod and trees, all an expense part of building a new place," says Grant Auto owner Greg Poley.
He's been in the auto repair business for over 15 years. His former shop, at the base of I-74 was just torn down last week. The state paid him for it. But Poley didn't want to leave Bettendorf.
"I never wanted to look anywhere else although I did look at downtown Moline, couple different areas, but I thought the trip across the bridge would hurt my business."
He chose to build farther East down State street. And received 20-thousand dollars from the city to help with construction.
"It's all about the economy, it's all about the businesses, there's 38 businesses that are affected, that's 200 jobs, if not more, that's 200 families that have got to make a living," says Bettendorf Economic Development Director Steve Van Dyke.
He says the city wants to keep its businesses around. Because it's good for everyone.
"We need those businesses we need those people, in addition to that a lot of people rely on those businesses for gasoline, food, whatever it is, many people need to have that."
The city has two years left in its program to help any remaining businesses make the move. The owners will need to choose soon to meet that deadline. But Poley says Bettendorf is willing to help.
"Everybody's in place to help you stay in Bettendorf, as long as you can find a place to be, it's the place to stay."
The city wants to keep as many businesses in the downtown corridor as possible.
But says its main goal is to keep them in Bettendorf.
Five businesses have taken advantage of the program so far.
Others have moved, but chose not to take any city money.
