Scoop: Plans for Spaghetti Works redevelopment faces opposition
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Spaghetti Works closed its Court Avenue location in March 2023. Photo: Jason Clayworth/Axios
The Downtown Neighborhood Association issued a proclamation Wednesday asking the Des Moines Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBOA) to halt plans to convert the former Spaghetti Works restaurant into a bar operated by longtime businessman Larry Smithson.
Why it matters: The site is in the Court Avenue entertainment district, where community leaders have worked for years to curb illegal activities including stabbings, assaults and car chases that are often associated with problematic establishments.
- The ZBOA plays a crucial role in shaping the future of Court Avenue, and plans should not be approved until there is a "complete understanding of the intent and purpose" of the property, the neighborhood association says.
Catch up fast: Spaghetti Works closed last year, and its president, Shelly Stokes, blamed the public's perception of crime in the area for its problems.
- The restaurant was located less than a block from the Court Center, a property where the city's zoning board instituted a midnight alcohol cutoff in 2022 following dozens of police calls or reports of illegal activities.
Flashback: A two-block security barricade system that ran in front of Spaghetti Works was scrapped shortly after being tested in 2021 after some complained that it was unwelcoming and shifted problems to other areas.
- Local leaders in 2022 hired a nightlife management firm to recommend how to improve safety.
- Polk County is launching a sexual assault prevention program this month as a result of the study.
State of play: The 8,000-square-foot former restaurant is listed for sale and Teehee's Comedy Club was previously eyeing the location, the Des Moines Register reported in July. Axios was unable to confirm whether the club is part of the plan involving Smithson.
- The request filed by Spaghetti Works that is before the ZBOA next week would allow most sales to come from alcohol sales rather than its previous designation as a restaurant use.
What they're saying: The neighborhood held a special meeting this week and voted unanimously to ask the board not to approve the request, the group's president, Deb Madison-Levi, tells Axios.
- She said the site needs an entertainment venue, family-style bar or restaurant and that information made public so far is not specific enough to assess whether the plan might meet neighbors' expectations.
The other side: Smithson previously told Axios that city leaders should be cautious against "selective law enforcement" of businesses in the district related to nuisance bars.
- Smithson, Spaghetti Works and Teehee's did not return Axios' requests for comment this week.
What's next: The ZBOA meets next Wednesday at 1pm at the city's Municipal Service Center at 1551 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway.