New animal shelter costs Des Moines 2.5x more than projected
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DSM's new animal shelter at 1441 Harriet St. was the answer to yesterday's "Where's Jason" contest. Axios reader Anna VanWaardhuizen of DSM won one of our shirts. Photo: Jason Clayworth/Axios
The cost of building Des Moines' new animal shelter has nearly tripled since the plan was announced in 2019 — from $5.5M to $14.1M.
Meanwhile, the city's annual animal control contract with the ARL could increase from $900K to $1.4M under an agreement anticipated to go before the City Council in coming weeks, deputy city manager Matt Anderson said in a public meeting earlier this month.
Why it matters: The larger scope of the project and expanded ARL services will better accommodate the city's needs.
- Yes, but: The costs coincide with warnings that the city government is pushing the ceiling of its self-imposed debt limits.
Catch up fast: The ARL handles DSM's animal control services and has called for a new facility for more than a decade.
- The City Council rejected a $5.8 million construction bid in 2021 so it could further expand the proposed building's footprint and invest in energy-efficient materials.
- DSM then split the project into almost 20 different contracts and used a private company to manage its developments.
Of note: The project's expansion and constructionary inflation contributed the bulk of the increased costs, assistant city manager Jim Hoff tells Axios.
What's next: Located a few blocks from the current facility, the shelter is slated to open in December.
- It'll offer new adoption, outreach and surgical services as well as expanded hours, according to a recent city presentation that ARL of Iowa CEO Tom Colvin made to the City Council.
