Des Moines Performing Arts looks to buy city riverfront property for expansion

Des Moines Performing Arts says it is a prospective buyer of the Argonne Armory, a prime piece of city-owned real estate on the edge of the East Village.

In an email sent to supporters Thursday afternoon, CEO Jeff Chelesvig said the nonprofit will present a proposal next week to the Des Moines City Council to purchase the armory and transform it into a "state-of-the-art" education center. City staff estimate that renovations would cost $15 million.

The announcement comes just one week after Economic Development Administrator Carrie Kruse signaled that the city would be open to considering public-friendly uses for its buildings on the Des Moines riverfront. As the city looks to vacate the armory when several of its offices move to a former Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. office building on the west side of downtown, Chelesvig said, the nonprofit has the "unique opportunity" to solve its own need for additional space.

He added that such an expansion has been apart of DMPA’s strategic plan for more than 10 years.

"Summer camps sell out with a waiting list in under 90 minutes and our Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards program has grown to be the largest of its kind in the nation," Chelesvig said. "As we have shared before, we are well positioned to address this growing need; however, one hurdle remains — the need for physical space."

The nonprofit currently operates programming at Temple Theater for the Performing Arts, Stoner Theater and the Des Moines Civic Center.

The Argonne Armory, which sits on east bank of the Des Moines River at 602 Robert D. Ray Drive, would serve existing programs like camps and classes while allowing DMPA to expand its offerings for field trips, family activities and collaborations with other organizations. Built in 1934, the armory is two stories tall and offers 67,392 square feet of space.

DMPA would eventually initiate a feasibility study to determine if the project is economically viable, Chelesvig said. It wouldn't be able to take ownership of the building until 2026 at the earliest.

"Our conversations with the city are a crucial first step," Chelesvig said.

City recently indicated it would prefer proposals that support arts

The armory and the police headquarters at 25 E. First St. will both be up for grabs once the city's upcoming but yet-unscheduled move to the T.M. Franklin Cownie City Administration Building at 1200 Locust St. takes place.

In 2018, the city first looked at potentially selling the armory, with Los Angeles-based performance venue operator Live Nation Entertainment proposing a 2,000-person auditorium in the armory's original gymnasium and an 800-seat venue in its Legion Hall area. Des Moines later walked back its plans to sell the building after a study showed that relocating staff would cost more than previously thought.

Last week, Kruse said the city now is more interested in community impact than return on investment. She personally hoped to see plans that would support the arts and small business.

"For the civic buildings, there'll be a greater focus on how we can really activate these spaces and still make them spaces the public can come to and enjoy," she said.

Addison Lathers covers growth and development for the Des Moines metro. Reach her at 608-931-1761 or alathers@registermedia.com, and follow her on X at @addisonlathers.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines Performing Arts looks to buy city riverfront property