Des Moines approves urban renewal plan for Riverview Park area
The Des Moines City Council has approved a new urban renewal plan to revitalize the area around Riverview Park, aiming to replace blighted properties with new commercial, retail and residential spaces.
The renovated Riverview Park, located just north of downtown Des Moines, has become a popular destination for families. However, accessing the park requires driving through an older warehouse district along 6th Avenue, which the city has identified as partially blighted and underused. Parents in the area are enthusiastic about the upcoming improvements.
"It's definitely attracted me to make more use of the space and the area," said Vivian Ordaz, a Des Moines resident. "So the more improvement that it gives, I believe that more families and more community that will be in the same area here."
The city council's approval of the new urban renewal area around Riverview Park aims to breathe new life into 59 acres, including more than 100 homes and businesses. The plan includes tax incentives and other benefits to attract new development and assist current businesses in modernizing. Matt Anderson, Des Moines assistant city manager, emphasized the importance of Riverview Park as a catalyst for change.
"So you get a project like Riverview Park that's kind of your catalyst," Anderson said. "A spark ignites, the cold storage redevelopment. And now we think we can blossom this to the greater neighborhood."
The Neighborhood Development Corporation has unveiled plans to replace an old cold storage warehouse with a new $7 million row house project, featuring 36 townhomes overlooking Riverview Lake. City council leaders view this development as a significant boost for the neighborhood.
"It's a destination where people want to come," said Linda Westergaard, a Des Moines City Council member. "They want to work in the area. They want to play in the area."
It may be several years before the plans are finalized and developed, but even the children at Riverview Park are eager for the changes.
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