Younkers remodel plans back on track
The remaining portion of the burned out Younkers building in downtown Des Moines could be back on the redevelopment track as early as this year.
David Vos, development director for Alexander Co. of Madison, Wis., said the west building will be remodeled into apartments with about 20,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor.
More importantly for Des Moines and Iowa natives, the Younkers Tea Room will be restored and possibly expanded, he said.
Construction on the 60 one- and two-bedroom apartment units could begin this year and be ready for occupancy by the end of 2015, Vos said.
The project also has a new "old" name: the Wilkins Building.
That was the building's name when Younkers took over the property in 1924 and merged it with the department store's original building to the east.
A massive fire on March 29 destroyed the east building and damaged the west building. But enough of the Wilkins Building was salvageable to redevelop it.
Vos said he would present the city with redevelopment plans within a month. Work will begin by removing materials damaged by the fire.
The Wilkins Building project will cost about $20 million.
Alexander Co. plans to seek the same funding sources it had lined up for the original $37 million Younkers project. That includes a combination of state historic tax credits and a community development block grant. The company will not apply for low-income tax credits, which it had planned to use for the original project, Vos said.
Alexander Co. is still working out details with its insurance companies about paying debts associated with the original project, which was to include 120 apartments and 40,000 square feet of retail space.
Most of the heavily damaged east building has been taken down and cleared, but the future of that site is still uncertain.
"The options for that building are open," Vos said. "There are all kinds of redevelopment opportunities to consider."
In some good news for downtown walkers, the sidewalk on Seventh Street that was closed after the fire reopened Thursday. Vehicle traffic, however, is still not allowed on Seventh and Walnut streets near the fire site, Vos said.
On Thursday, he met with city officials and representatives of neighboring businesses to talk about ways to reopen skywalk access in that portion of downtown. Walkways connecting several buildings near Younkers have been closed since the fire.
That group will meet again in the next two weeks to brainstorm temporary and permanent solutions to reconnect the skywalks, said Greg Wattier, a principal at Slingshot Architecture, which represents some of the businesses affected by the fire.
"Everyone would like to see that grid reconnected," he said. The group is considering any and all possible solutions.
Vos said one idea would be to construct a covered elevated walkway above the sidewalks that connect the Partnership Building, the Hub Tower and EMC Insurance.
Shopping shorts
The Des Moines Community Playhouse is holding a costume sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the theater's lobby, 831 42nd St. The sale will feature 20 years' worth of costumes from shows, vintage clothing, fabric and notions. Some of the items are shown on the Playhouse's Facebook page. Call 515-974-5364.
Happy anniversary
Iowa Home Care, a company that provides health care so senior citizens and others who need care can remain in their homes, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The company is located at 2500 University Ave., West Des Moines. Call 515-222-9995.