IOWA VIEW

Grocery store is a downtown need

Larry Bradshaw

Over the last couple of weeks, there has been lots of chatter around the proposed Hy-Vee/Knapp Properties development plan for 420 Court Ave.

A downtown business association, the Historic Court Avenue District Association, started a petition on change.org asking for the Des Moines City Council to reconsider its support this project. It appears this petition has garnered over 700 signatures to date, but I question how many of those signers are residents of downtown.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association has been the voice of residents for over the last 14 years. As president of the association, and a board member for the last five years, I know we've worked hard to review development plans for downtown and to make sure that what is being built in our neighborhood meets the best interests of the downtown residents.

No development is perfect in satisfying everyone's needs, but we consider a lot of factors and question the developers prior to offering a letter of support.

Earlier this year when this project was first announced, and again a few months ago, we met with developers and spent time in gaining a better understanding of what they proposed. It is our understanding that Hy-Vee does not plan to build a "retail suburban grocery store dead center in the middle of the Court Avenue District," as improperly characterized in the petition.

Hy-Vee/Knapp Properties has worked hard with their architects to build an urban concept retail store with several levels of apartments above it. This will not look like any Hy-Vee we've seen before, and it will bring the badly needed housing we need for a growing downtown neighborhood.

Since I moved downtown over six years ago, all I've heard is, "Where do you buy groceries?" That question more often comes from non-residents.

When this plan was announced, almost every resident I spoke with couldn't wait for this project to be completed. I am a patron of most restaurants and bars on Court Avenue. I don't see how a wonderful new amenity such as an urban grocery store will negatively impact local businesses on Court Avenue.

I believe we are lucky to have such a great development team offer this amenity to us, especially in this location. This is in walking distance to most of us who live downtown.

Some have suggested that the development be moved to the south side of Martin Luther King Parkway, but doing so would kill it's most useful feature, the ability to do a short walk to a local grocery store. I for one will probably shop there three to four times a week as opposed to just once a week, where I'd probably use my car if it was south of Martin Luther King Parkway.

The petition also brought up the idea that the city wasn't thinking about parking. This is not the same message we hear from City Council. The council understands the parking needs for Court Avenue and will act responsibly in assuring that parking is available for downtown residents, downtown workers and local business customers.

There are additional plans for parking and entertainment venues that are being considered, only with additional housing and traffic. The Hy-Vee/Knapp Properties project will bring that housing and traffic to Court Avenue.

I do not think many realize that parking is available on evenings and weekends and close to Court Avenue. I feel that the city and the Historic Court Avenue District can work together to highlight all the parking garages open to the public evenings and weekends within two to four blocks of most Court Avenue businesses. Public education and signage could alleviate parking concerns that some have.

Our city is growing up. Most of us that have traveled to larger cities don't think anything about parking in a lot or ramp and walking three to four blocks for a good restaurant or bar that we want to patronize. We can do that here, too.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association urges the City Council and Hy-Vee/Knapp Properties to continue their development at 420 Court Ave. and help downtown become a true 24-hour, fully functioning neighborhood. For this to happen, this project, at this location, will be the key to spur even more development in the Court Avenue District.

THE AUTHOR:

LARRY BRADSHAW is president of the Downtown Neighborhood Association in Des Moines. Contact: president@desmoinesdna.com