Des Moines transit unveils plans for a new $110 million campus
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Rendering: Substance architecture, courtesy of DART
Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) would relocate its downtown operations and maintenance facilities to a 38-acre site near Pleasant Hill under a proposal going before the City Council next month.
Why it matters: The project's estimated cost is $110 million — more than 60% higher than an earlier proposal at a different site.
- But it's still cheaper for local governments than renovating the current 11-acre downtown location because federal grants will pay a projected 80% of the rebuilding costs, Luis Montoya, DART's chief planning officer, tells Axios.
Catch up fast: DART's main facilities building at 1100 Dart Way was built in the 1970s, has been damaged by multiple floods and now requires more than $63 million in upgrades.
- Federal Transit Administration officials are encouraging DART's commission to relocate due to facility limitations.
State of play: A $68 million plan proposed about three years ago at the former Chesterfield School site was abandoned after federal regulators noted the location is believed to be part of an ancient village.
- No new archeological discoveries have been made since DART identified the site but agency officials nonetheless determined it would be best to find a different location, Montoya says.
Driving the news: DART would pay just over $3.9 million for a city-owned property near the Southeast Connector if approved at a public hearing on March 4.
The intrigue: The location was identified for a PDM Precast expansion project in 2019, prior to the company deciding to instead expand its existing DSM production plant site.
Details: The first nearly $35 million construction phase will include a maintenance garage and is fully funded, largely from a federal grant and money DART officials have saved.
- Construction could begin as early as this summer and take about 18 months to complete.
- A storage barn and administrative building would be included in subsequent phases with timelines largely depending on additional federal allocations, Montoya says.
What we're watching: The project is moving forward as DART users face possible cuts to routes.
- City Council will in coming days discuss financial options to offset a possible 40% DART service reduction,
Of note: The new campus project would be paid by DART's capital budget, which consists largely of federal grants.
- The transit's separate operating budget, which is primarily paid for by property tax dollars, is the subject of the current service reduction considerations.
