Down economy gives planners time to organize next big projects
Des Moines is awash in ideas for new downtown projects at a time when resources are scarce and the economy is shaky.
They include efforts to expand the Botanical Center and rebuild Nollen Plaza, as well as making Walnut Street more shopper friendly and finding more uses for the downtown riverfront.
Planners also want to retool and expand the skywalk system, find new uses for vacant downtown office buildings and create new neighborhoods near Gray’s Lake and the East Village where people can live, work and shop without the need of automobiles.
It’s definitely a full plate. But that’s not a bad thing, or even unexpected, said Downtown Community Alliance chief Glenn Lyons.
