Plan floated to move an iconic war monument in Des Moines

Catch up quick: The Polk County Gold Star Memorial sits along University Avenue, overlooking the Des Moines River just southwest of the hospital.

• Dedicated in 1926, it includes the names of 165 local service members who died in the war, including some that appear on DSM streets or parks — including Fleur, MacRae, and McHenry.

State of play: Despite its prominence along University Avenue, the memorial is out of sight for most traffic and often overlooked, with no convenient crosswalk to Burke Park across the street.

• It's also not ADA-compliant since it is accessible via stairs, Polk County Veterans Affairs Executive Director Pat Sweeney tells Axios.

Zoom in: Sweeney is exploring whether the monument could be moved to Laurel Hill Cemetery, a city-owned cemetery near the Iowa State Fairgrounds with a designated veterans' section that could accommodate it.

• Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines is another possibility.

Reality check: Sweeney believes relocation would cost at least $100,000, and there is no formal proposal to move it just yet.

• Fundraising would be needed to complete the project, he said.

💭 Our thought bubble: The memorial's current location sits on a bluff with a rarely seen view of the DSM River and downtown.

• If the memorial is moved, the site should be considered for future development.

What's next: Sweeney, 61, says he hopes to determine the project's feasibility before he retires in the next few years.

• He's asking groups or people interested in the idea to contact him.