Port of Dubuque Informations

Coordinates: 42°29′52″N 90°39′21″W / 42.497678°N 90.655711°W / 42.497678; -90.655711

The Port of Dubuque (also known as the Ice Harbor, 4th Street Peninsula, or the Riverfront) is the section of downtown Dubuque, Iowa that lies immediately adjacent to the Mississippi River. The area was among the first areas settled in what would become the City of Dubuque, and the State of Iowa. Historically, the area has been a center of heavy industry, but has recently seen extensive reinvestment and new construction. The area is now one of the main tourist destinations in Dubuque, as well as Iowa.

The Port of Dubuque includes all of the area that lies north of the CCPR rail yards, south of East 9th Street and Dove Harbor, east of the CCPR/ICER railroad tracks, and west of the Mississippi River. It is divided into two main sections: the North Port and the South Port, which are separated by the Ice Harbor.

The Port area is separated from Downtown Dubuque's central business district by a double set of railroad tracks and an expressway that carries U.S. highways 151 and 61. Accesses to the North Port includes East 5th Street, and the East 3rd Street overpass. The South Port is accessible from Jones Street, and Ice Harbor Drive, which connects the North and South Ports.

As of 2006, all of the redevelopment in the area has occurred in the North Port, and the South Port remains largely industrial or underutilized. This may be due to the anticipated construction of a new Mississippi River Bridge, which will be built in the near future, alongside the Julien Dubuque Bridge.

The Port of Dubuque was one of the first areas settled in what is now Downtown Dubuque. Its proximity to the river made the area convenient for a variety of industrial uses, including boat building, lumber transportation and storage, and ice harvesting. The 1868 opening of the first Dubuque Railroad Bridge to Illinois also strengthened the Port's role as a center for heavy industry. In addition to these purposes, the Port was a major landing site for many of the steamboats which traveled on the river. However, for most of its history, the low-lying Port area was unprotected against the frequent spring flooding of the Mississippi. For this reason, much of the city's commercial and retail businesses were built farther inland, centered on West 9th and Main Streets.

The Port area was an ideal location for some of the city's early manufacturing companies, however. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Dubuque was a major boat building center on the Mississippi River, and this industry was centered on the Port area and the Ice Harbor. Alongside boat building, the Port was home to lumber yards, the Dubuque Star Brewery, and a Civil War-era Shot Tower.

The region also has long been a transportation center in Dubuque. U.S. highways 20, 151, 61, 52, and Iowa Highway 3 all converge in the Port of Dubuque. Also, the Chicago Central and Pacific and Iowa, Chicago and Eastern railroads run through the Port area. The current Dubuque Railroad Bridge, built in the 1890s, connected the city with population centers to the east. The Ice Harbor and Mississippi shoreline were the site of steamboat arrivals and departures in the city, and three of the city's four train stations were located in or near the area.

In 1943, the Julien Dubuque Bridge was completed south of the Ice Harbor, thereby moving vehicular traffic over the Port, instead of through it, across the old Dubuque "High" Bridge. Following a record-breaking flood in 1965, the City of Dubuque began construction on a 30-foot-high (9.1 m) flood protection wall to protect all of the city's riverfront from the seasonal flooding of the Mississippi River. This was completed in 1973. Boat building ended in the area in the early 1970s, and brewing came to a halt shortly after.

The Port of Dubuque remained largely inactive until 1990. At that time, Iowa legalized riverboat gambling and the "Casino Belle" opened, afloat in the Ice Harbor. That boat would be replaced in the mid-1990s by the Diamond Jo Casino, named after Dubuque boatbuilder "Diamond" Joe Reynolds and his Diamond Jo Boat Line.

In the late 1990s, the City of Dubuque saw an opportunity to expand on the existing tourism market by adding a major river-themed museum to the area. Alongside a new museum, the city proposed a new hotel and indoor water park attraction, a large convention center, riverwalk, and other amenities. This was all part of the "America's River Project," a $188 million revitalization of the North Port. In the early 2000s, the city won a huge $40 million grant from the "Vision Iowa" Fund for the construction of the various attractions.

Today, the Port of Dubuque is a rapidly changing area. In recent years, there has been a great deal of new construction, and much of the remaining vacant land has already been earmarked for more new development. Although the district has a strong emphasis on tourist attractions, there are retail, office, and residential projects included in proposed developments. Projects currently underway include the construction of a new office headquarters for The McGraw-Hill Companies' Higher Education Division, and a new headquarters for The Durrant Group (a Dubuque architectural firm).

With the presence of various attractions, the Port has also become a natural gathering place for people. During the summer, the area hosts the annual America's River Festival, the Taste of Dubuque, and appearances by presidential candidates, among other events.

The revitalization of the Port of Dubuque has also led to a "ripple effect" of new development in Downtown Dubuque. Recently, buildings and storefronts along Main Street, especially south of 3rd Street, have been renovated with tourist-friendly restaurants, stores, and nightspots. This area, known as "Historic Old Main" or "Lower Main," together with the city's Cable Car Square Historic District, are forming an active shopping and entertainment district. Tourists are also being drawn to cultural attractions in Downtown Dubuque, including the Grand Opera House, the Five Flags Center, Fourth Street Elevator, and the Dubuque Museum of Art, among others.

The City of Dubuque has completed a $4.1 million project that includes a new 78-slip marina and amenities building. The Port of Dubuque Marina opened for business on June 1, 2013 and is a 100% transient marina in the heart of Downtown Dubuque. The Port of Dubuque Marina is able to accommodate boats that are up to 90 feet (27 m) and offers slip rentals, fuels sales (unleaded and diesel) and pump out service. In addition to the docks, the Port of Dubuque Marina includes private boater restrooms with shower and laundry facilities, public restrooms and a convenience store that offers a wide selection of items. The Port of Dubuque Marina is located in the historic Ice Harbor just south of the Dubuque Rail Bridge, and north of the Julien Dubuque (US HWY 20) bridge.

The Diamond Jo Casino includes 777 slot machines, 17 table games, and several restaurants. The casino is the among the largest attractions in the area.

The Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark is a 193-room, family-oriented hotel complex. The facility is connected to the Grand River Center, and features a 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) water park as its main attraction. Many of its rooms have excellent views of the Mississippi River and Downtown Dubuque.

The Grand River Center is Dubuque's largest convention center. The facility features 86,000 square feet (8,000 m2) of meeting space, and regularly plays host to weddings, car shows, regional conventions, and presidential candidates. It is connected by skywalk to the Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark, and features underground parking, high-speed internet, and catering services.

The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium is the signature attraction in the Port of Dubuque. Affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, the museum is the largest of its kind, and includes dozens of interactive, family-friendly exhibits. The complex also has a large aquarium component, including turtles, otters, fish, and other wildlife found along the river. In addition to these, the facility has theaters, a working wetland, and the restored William M. Black Dredgeboat for tourists to explore.

In October 2007, The McGraw-Hill Companies opened its new $32 million, 140,000-square-foot (13,000 m2), 4-story office complex in the Port. The new building houses the headquarters of the company's Higher Education Division, and 400 employees. The structure is located at the NW corner of East 5th and Bell Streets.

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