BETTENDORF -- While neighbors in Milan are worried about a rehab center wanting to move in, residents in Bettendorf remember having concerns about the Abbey Addiction Treatment Center opening in 2008.
"It was a monastery when it first started and then they moved to Peoria and now Genesis came in and took over here," said neighbor Kirby Graff.
Graff remembers back to when he first heard that the treatment center was going to be his new neighbor.
"I didn't like the drug situation moved into the neighborhood," he recalled.
Other people in the neighborhood were also concerned with the substance abuse and mental rehab center being on their street.
"We didn't know what the clientele was gonna be in there, what kind of addictions they were gonna have and if there would be an issue," said neighbor Dan Frey.
Now, nine years later, the concerns they once had are gone.
"It really isn't a problem and it's really well supervised and managed and I think it's a blessing to offer that service for people," said Donna Hafner, neighbor.
The founder of the treatment center, Joe Lemon, said they held meetings at the facility with the neighbors to address their concerns.
Lemon said they also make sure to have 24/7 security at the facility.
Bettendorf police said they have had to respond to some medical calls but said it's never been a problem for the neighborhood.
"There was a little bit of apprehension and trepidation from the neighbors but now that they've been active for approximately nine years and looking at all the stats, there have been no issues up there caused by the Abbey," said Capt. Keith Kimball, Bettendorf Police Department. "The Abbey has been a very good neighbor in the neighborhood and it hasn't caused any issues to any of the neighbors as far as safety or disturbances."
For the neighbors of the Abbey, they've learned to live side by side with the treatment center.