'Spaces the public can come to and enjoy' goal for reuse of Des Moines police HQ, armory

The city of Des Moines is considering a variety of new public-friendly uses for buildings on the Des Moines riverfront that will be vacated when several city offices and the police department move to a former Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. office building on the west side of downtown.

Economic Development Coordinator Carrie Kruse said Thursday that the city already is seeing interest from prospective buyers.

"We have had a lot of inquiries," Kruse said during a forum held by the Business Record. "I think we'll follow a traditional process in how we approach those, but these are a lot different than a traditional land sale that the city might deal with."

The upcoming but yet-unscheduled move to the T.M. Franklin Cownie City Administration Building at 1200 Locust St. will empty out police headquarters at 25 E. First St, and the Argonne Armory at 602 Robert D. Ray Drive. Both were part of a group of seven government buildings constructed along the Des Moines River in the early 20th century. The armory, built in 1934, was the last.

In 2018, the city looked at potentially selling the armory, with private investors stepping forward with proposals for apartments, retail space and corporate offices. Among them was Los Angeles-based performance venue operator Live Nation Entertainment, which aimed to build 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. Live Nation went on to build the Vibrant Music Hall in Waukee, which opened last November.

Now, Kruze said, the city is more interested in community impact than return on investment. She added that she personally hopes to see plans that would support the arts and small business, like a space for a makers market.

"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.

The city eventually will solicit proposals from developers for the two sites, though Kruze did not provide a timeline.

What's up for grabs?

The police station is three stories tall and 77,312 square feet. It last was remodeled in 2013 and the Polk County assessor lists it as being in very good condition.

The two-story, 67,392-square-foot Argonne Armory, on the other hand, is less than pristine. Originally a National Guard training facility, it currently houses Des Moines' human resources, community development and information technology staffs. The roof has leaked several times, Assistant City Manager Matt Anderson told the Des Moines Register.

Both sit on the east bank of the Des Moines River, with the armory just north of City Hall and the Brenton Skating Plaza, and are listed as part of the Civic Center Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places.

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: City of Des Moines receiving inquiries on police HQ, Argonne Armory