$200M arts center proposal clashes with Heart of America plans
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A rendering of the proposed performing arts center at Des Moines' former City Hall building. Illustration: Hartman Spiller/Courtesy of the Des Moines Metropolitan Center for the Arts
A $200 million performing arts center proposed for the site of Des Moines' former City Hall last week already faces an uphill battle as a neighboring development advances on land needed for the project
Why it matters: A City Council decision as early as next month could effectively kill one of the two projects before construction begins.
Catch up quick: Des Moines vacated its historic City Hall early this year to consolidate offices in a former Nationwide building.
- Redevelopment efforts stalled after about a dozen developers expressed interest but none submitted proposals, partly because of historic preservation challenges.
Driving the news: The nonprofit Des Moines Metropolitan Center for the Arts submitted the proposal to the city last week.
- Its plan would use City Hall for office and some performance space and add a new 800- to 1,200-seat theater on the adjacent parcel across Robert D. Ray Drive.
Yes, but: The vacant land is where the hospitality and real estate company Heart of America (HOA) has proposed its $24 million headquarters.
- CEO Mike Whalen tells Axios the company has already begun detailed building plans, which would complicate a potential compromise.
Friction point: The arts group wants the city to pause decisions for six months to study feasibility and fundraising before committing the land to HOA.
What they're saying: MD Isley, the arts group's interim director, tells Axios that reorienting HOA's building toward East Locust Street could free up land needed for the theater while allowing both developments to proceed.
- Without the adjacent land, Isley says, the arts center likely couldn't proceed as envisioned.
The other side: Whalen says HOA isn't opposed to the arts project but has already hired architects and engineers. He says the proposal caught him off guard.
- "I don't see any reason why we should," Whalen says when asked about repositioning the headquarters.
By the numbers: The arts proposal estimates costs of $190 million to $210 million, including a $25 million operating endowment.
- Isley acknowledges fundraising remains a major challenge and says the group needs time to determine whether it can secure the money.
What's next: City economic development administrator Carrie Kruse tells Axios the projects cannot coexist as currently proposed.
- City staff are evaluating both proposals and preparing a recommendation for a Nov. 2 public hearing.
- Each will be judged on its own merits, Kruse says.