Around Des Moines

Take a look at the views of Des Moines from the Ingersoll streetscape to the Principal Riverwalk and to the east side. Look at proposals from theRoosevelt streetscape to the suburban-style Hy-Vee in Beaverdale, from the Drake Neighborhood streetscape to the suburban-style Dahl’s on Ingersoll, and from the vision for Downtown Des Moines to the discussion of transit-oriented development (TOD) in the Highway 5/North River corridor south of County Line Road. What do they have in common? The public comment system is structured to have input primarily from those people living within a targeted development zone or near an expanded business.

Cities and counties have comprehensive plans that are supposed to guide the types of development desired in a geopolitical area. This includes transportation methods, industry types, and even styles of construction. These planning guides are written to allow flexibility and can be overridden by the political body that voted for them. In some communities, there are fights over every single change. In other communities, there can be a total razing and rebuilding with complaints being no more troublesome than gnats.

What concerns me about recent development discussions in and around the city is that they are taking place in isolation from each other and with little public discussion about the larger issues. I have heard many comments from residents about the desires of Hy-Vee and Dahl’s to recreate suburban designs within the city. People have commented that it would be nice to have a salad bar at the Dahl’s on Ingersoll, but same people wonder if the street really needs another coffee shop. A few people, from whom I have heard indirectly, have said gas pumps at the Dahl’s would eliminate the need to go to 42nd and University for gasoline. Considering it takes fewer than five minutes to drive that distance needs to be measured against the disruption to a pedestrian district and to the environment by placing gas pumps where none now exist. Businesses should be allowed to rework their buildings and services, but in suburbia there are different needs than in the city.

Dahl’s at Ingersoll does so much business because it is easily accessible to a neighborhood without need for private vehicles. It is also only one of two grocery stores in Des Moines that I have found to be easily accessible by public transportation. In addition, there are no major roads that make accessing the store difficult on foot. Other residents of the city might appreciate a suburban-style store that they could access easily, but I do not. When the grocery store is the only place around, then it is convenient to have it offer a self-contained mall. Dahl’s, however, is close to other stores and restaurants that offer the same amenities as a suburban store, with a whole heck of a lot more character.

The Hy-Vee store shares some of these issues with the Dahl’s. Alas, the opponents of Dahl’s who want an urban store and the opponents of Hy-Vee who want an urban store are not joining forces to shape the future of Des Moines.

On December 19, 2007, there was an open house held at Blank Park Zoo to present ideas for the Highway 5 corridor to the south of Des Moines. Residents on Des Moines’ east side should have been there. There are issues of flood plains, new housing, and transit-oriented development, e.g., jobs and entertainment accessible by public transportation. All of these are important issues for the city’s east side right now, not in 50 years. They are issues that need to be discussed on a citywide scale.

M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.