Cemex's Davenport site still seeks new use

Cemex's Davenport facility in Iowa, USA, has remained empty since the plant was closed in 2010. Cemex maintains ownership of the plant, and while it has been in negotiations to sell the site, the talks with an aviation company have stalled.

The preferred bidder, Joby Aviation, is no longer planning to move its production to part of the empty 104-acre Cemex site, founder and CEO, Joe Ben Bevirt confirmed Monday. Instead, the company is in talks with the city of Marina to open a new production facility at the Marina Municipal Airport early in 2019.

"The other options were not really viable, nor were they well received by the community, because we don't want a big hotel there – it would not be in keeping with the character of Davenport," said Noel Bock, a longtime resident who chairs the Davenport North Coast Association.

Now the community is 'left hanging", Mr Bock said. But he added that a number of his neighbours may be just as happy to see the plant remain empty. "It'll sort of be an eyesore, but it won’t disrupt Davenport," he said.

In its heyday, the plant drove Davenport's economy and produced cement for major California projects such as the Golden Gate Bridge.