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Axios Des Moines Deep Dive

Picture of the Des Moines skyline with DSM written across it.

Get smarter, faster about what’s happening in your backyard with local reporters Jason Clayworth and Linh Ta.

Axios Des Moines Thought Bubble

Axios Des Moines

Granger's plan to annex about 1,725 acres near Johnston appears to be an effort to block other development, Polk County Supervisor Bob Brownell warned this week.

Why it matters: Improper land grabs can stymie overall community development and place unnecessary pressure on taxpayers. 

What's happening: Granger wants to annex areas that are several miles east of its current city limits.

Johnston city officials and Polk supervisors are asking Granger to drop about half of the area it's  requesting.

Zoom in: There's concern that Granger would be unable to provide services like sewers to much of the area.

The annexation could also derail the state's agreements with Johnston for a $10 million  Highway 141 safety improvement project, Bob Rice, the county’s public works director, told supervisors Tuesday.

The other side: All  property owners in the area have voluntarily agreed to be annexed, Granger Mayor Tony James tells  Axios. 

Granger officials are confident they can provide services to the area, he says. 

Of note: Annexations are ultimately decided by Iowa's City Development Board and objections from other local governments are given consideration.

What's next: Granger City Council's public hearing on the annexation is tonight at  6pm in the Granger Community Center. 

Go deeper: Review maps and read Johnston City Council's letter this week to Granger officials objecting to the annexation:

Polk County supervisors, Johnston officials oppose Granger annexation

Granger's plan to annex about 1,725 acres near Johnston is getting some pushback.

Granger's annexation request consists mostly of farmgrounds like these that are adjacent to its city limits. Photo: Charlie Neibergall/AP

Land development

Granger&#x27;s plan to annex about 1,725 acres near Johnston appears to be an effort to block other development, Polk County Supervisor Bob Brownell<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" warned this week" data-vars-click-url="https://youtu.be/thwnW2VvSAE?t=3758" data-vars-content-id="00325b56-17d7-433f-a535-1a92d7d2678d" data-vars-headline="Polk County supervisors, Johnston officials oppose Granger annexation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://youtu.be/thwnW2VvSAE?t=3758" target="_blank"> warned this week</a>.Why it matters: Improper land grabs can stymie overall community development and place unnecessary pressure on taxpayers.

News

Axios Des Moines, anchored by Jason Clayworth and Linh Ta, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.

​​Iowa Golf House fundraising is largely complete and construction will launch this spring, Chat Pitts, CEO of the Iowa Golf Association (IGA), tells Axios.

Details: The $5 million project for a junior golf center and museum will also become the new permanent headquarters for the association and its foundation.

It'll include meeting space for golf groups, a driving simulator as well as indoor and outdoor putting greens.

Of note: The IGA announced the plans last year following donations of land and money from Michael Coppola, owner of the Echo Valley Country Club.

The project is next to the club's Creek Course, roughly two miles south of the DSM International Airport.

Driving the news: Des Moines City Council this week approved the final subdivision plat for the nearly three-acre property.

The IGA anticipates the project will be completed by next spring, Pitts says. 

A photo of land where Iowa Golf House will be constructed.

This area next to Echo Valley Country Club's Creek Course will be part of the Iowa Golf House development. It was also the answer to yesterday's "Where's Jason" question, won by Axios DSM reader Ronald German. Photo: Jason Clayworth/Axios

Iowa Golf Association to open headquarters, new museum

The Iowa Golf House will also include a driving simulator and putting greens.

Iowa Golf House. Rendering courtesy of the Iowa Golf Association

​​Iowa Golf House fundraising is largely complete and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="construction will launch" data-vars-click-url="https://iowagolf.org/golfhouse-release/" data-vars-content-id="20427444-41ee-4c9d-b568-f4948b2856c4" data-vars-headline="Iowa Golf Association to open headquarters, new museum" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://iowagolf.org/golfhouse-release/" target="_blank">construction will launch</a> this spring, Chat Pitts, CEO of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Iowa Golf Association" data-vars-click-url="https://iowagolf.org/" data-vars-content-id="20427444-41ee-4c9d-b568-f4948b2856c4" data-vars-headline="Iowa Golf Association to open headquarters, new museum" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://iowagolf.org/" target="_blank">Iowa Golf Association</a> (IGA), tells Axios.Details: The $5 million project for a junior golf center and museum will also become the new permanent headquarters for the association and its foundation.

Wells Fargo is moving the majority of Des Moines employees to its Jordan Creek Campus in West Des Moines, according to an employee email sent Friday from company executive Kristy Fercho that Axios obtained.

Why it matters: The bank is one of the largest employers in the metro, employing roughly 12,000 people.

The departure is a blow to DSM, which Mayor Frank Cownie described in a statement as "disappointing and frustrating."

Driving the news: The company is exiting the buildings at 800 Walnut St. and 206 8th St. in downtown DSM later this year, company spokesperson Mike Slusark tells Axios. 

A building at 7001 Westown Parkway in WDSM will also be emptied.

Decisions about the vacated buildings are being reviewed, Slusark said.

State of play: The company will retain some employee occupancy in the 800 Walnut St. building in downtown DSM.

It has not announced the total number of employees that will be affected by the moves, and Friday's announcement did not include job cuts.

Yes, but: The company slashed more than 400 positions in the DSM metro in at least 10 rounds of cuts last year.

And it announced earlier this month that it's cutting back on its mortgage-lending business.

Wells Fargo to move most employees from Des Moines

The move is "disappointing and frustrating," Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said.

Wells Fargo is moving the majority of Des Moines employees to its Jordan Creek Campus in West Des Moines, according to an employee email sent Friday from company executive Kristy Fercho that Axios obtained.Why it matters: The bank is one of the largest employers in the metro, employing roughly 12,000 people.

Business

The cooler at the Drake Area Food Pantry Wednesday was empty except for a few pieces of cake.

That's according to an email to Polk County Supervisors from Anne Bacon, CEO of IMPACT, the group that helps run the pantry.

What's happening: There's an ongoing contract dispute between the Food Bank of Iowa and the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC), the pantry's affiliate.

Organizers have not had access to federal commodities like eggs and meat it typically makes available to low-income families for months, Bacon tells Axios. 

And food donations from some businesses are prohibited due to exclusivity agreements, she says.

State of play: As many as 10 DMARC pantries are without access to Food Bank services.

Pantry clients still get food but not some of the core staples that were available prior to November, Bacon says.

What's next: Efforts among multiple community groups and government officials to help resolve the contract disputes are ongoing.

Some Des Moines food pantries are bare

As many as 10 are without access to services from the Food Bank of Iowa.

This cooler would normally be stocked with food rescued from area grocery stores as well as USDA dairy and meat products, IMPACT director Anne Bacon tells Axios. Photo courtesy of IMPACT

The cooler at the Drake Area Food Pantry Wednesday was empty except for a few pieces of cake.<ul><li>That&#x27;s according to an email to Polk County Supervisors from Anne Bacon, CEO of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="IMPACT" data-vars-click-url="https://www.impactcap.org/" data-vars-content-id="796a57ad-785f-4b57-9a5f-e792123cc9d3" data-vars-headline="Some Des Moines food pantries are bare" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.impactcap.org/" target="_blank">IMPACT</a>, the group that helps run the pantry.</li></ul>

Des Moines metro home pricing finally hit its ceiling in 2022 after several years of spikes.

That's according to a new year-end report published by Les Sulgrove, a local realtor and former president of the Des Moines Area Association of Realtors.

Zoom in: Sulgrove uses a valuation model of an existing DSM residence's to estimate what an average home is currently worth.

That peaked at around $325K during the last quarter of 2022 and is now around $310K, his data shows.

👀 Here's a look at the six most expensive metro homes of 2022 that all sold for at least $1.9 million, according to DSM Area Association of Realtors data:

12951 Oak Brook Drive in Urbandale. Photo courtesy of Cy Phillips/Space Simply

Six bedrooms, six baths, 4,078 square feet (SF), 4.7 acres

5725 Red Bud Way in West Des Moines. Photo: Exclusive usage rights to Axios

Six bedrooms, eight baths, 5,693 SF, 2 acres

1738 S 40th Court in West Des Moines. Photo courtesy of Cy Phillips/Space Simply

Seven bedrooms, seven baths, 5,336 SF, 1.4 acres

6009 NE Briarwood in Ankeny. Photo courtesy of Kimberly Development Corp.

Four bedrooms, six baths, 3,870 SF, .7 acres

5243 Tie Road in Panora. Photo: courtesy of Rose Green of Re/Max Concepts

Six bedrooms, five baths, 4,612 SF, .8 acres

 Photo courtesy of the Dallas County Assessor's Office 

Six bedrooms, five baths, 4,849 SF, .6 acres

Des Moines' priciest home sales of 2022

The six most expensive metro homes of 2022 all sold for at least $1.9 million.

Des Moines metro home pricing finally hit its ceiling in 2022 after several years of spikes.<ul><li>That&#x27;s according to a new <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="year-end report" data-vars-click-url="https://desmoinesmarketvalues.com/2022-state-of-the-market" data-vars-content-id="b443418c-9c9e-4444-a4f4-073edbcaff84" data-vars-headline="Des Moines&#x27; priciest home sales of 2022" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://desmoinesmarketvalues.com/2022-state-of-the-market" target="_blank">year-end report</a> published by Les Sulgrove, a local realtor and former president of the Des Moines Area Association of Realtors.</li></ul>

Jason Clayworth

Featured stories

Wells Fargo to move most employees from Des Moines

Some Des Moines food pantries are bare

Des Moines' priciest home sales of 2022

Iowa Golf Association to open headquarters, new museum

Polk County supervisors, Johnston officials oppose Granger annexation