Davenport City Council voted down a proposal Wednesday night that would have rezoned the old K's Merchandise building for warehousing and distribution use.
For the past seven years, the building on the corner of Marquette and Kimberly Road has been vacant. Murray Kimberly Road LLC petitioned to turn the building into a warehouse with commercial tenants, but neighbors resisted the plan, citing traffic and safety concerns.
Wednesday, dozens of neighbors packed the Council Chambers to voice their opposition to the rezoning request, and they cheered when the Council voted "no"unanimously on the ordinance.
"It was spectacular. Our neighborhood couldn't be happier because our neighborhood did a lot of work to safeguard against a warehouse being put in our backyard," said Dick Fleischman, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 40 years.
Aldermen also pledged to help the building's owners find a new, more suitable buyer for the space, and they said filling it will be a priority for the City.