Allied Expansion II & III: 650,000 Sq Feet

[DMRyan]

The steel is already rising out of the ground for this project. Based on how much work was completed in one day, the first phase of this development should go up pretty quickly.

[Norwalker]

The contractors are likely going to have Allied on their backs all the way through this project to make sure they stay on schedule. The current building is already just shy of full, and will be bursting by the time the new wing is done.

FYI, for the curious, even today no one seems to know any news about the new free-standing building across the street. If they do, they're not talking about it. In any case, ground-breaking is supposedly less than a year and a half away, so stay tuned . . .

[Ingersoll1978]

I was told by an Allied employee that the plans for the second building won't be unveiled until after the first of the year...

[dmluvr]

awwwwwh---first of the year huh?? Oh well---in theory, the first of the year is less than 3 1/2 months away. Then again---that's scary to think that in 3 1/2 months is going to be ball busting cold with little sun.....let's just hope allied warms us up with a nice fatty announcement!!!!

[dmluvr]

woooow, sorry, I can't do math today(it's agaisn't my friday policy) that would be less than 4 1/2 months away.

[Ingersoll1978]

Here's the official rendering...


Also...here is the proposed Skywalk map for the area:

[DMRyan]

I actually like that portion on the corner that uses more brick than limestone and black glass. It would make a nice looking building in it's own right, without the other wings around it. Hopefully these additions will give Allied's campus less of a suburban feel.

The steel is already up to the 3rd floor!

Also, check out the angled skywalk that will connect the new parking garage for the next phase.

[Des Moineser]

It seems strange to me that they wouldn't go ahead and make the two wings indentical for a more balanced look. But this is a great expansion either way. Does anyone know what the stand-alone buildings will look like?

[NOG]

I really like this. It almost makes it appear that your are looking at three separate buildings densely clustered together. But the color scheme lets you know that it is one very large office building.

[Cyclonefan]

here are some good views of the allied expansion yesterday

[DMRyan]

Thanks for the pictures cyclonefan. I'm amazed at how quick this project is going up so far. I guess there's a big difference in having a site that requires months of excavation or grading work versus a shovel ready site. That will bode well for the construction of the next phase across the street in the next two years.

On a side note, notice the wasteland of open space and parking lots north of Grand Avenue. I really hope Methodist kicks their redevelopment plans into high gear. If these lots are allowed to sit there as surface lots and not on the real estate market when developers could possibly be interested in these sites, it is a big disservice to Des Moines.

[DMRyan]

More new photos from the ground level. It looks like the corner part is topped out, and I would expect steel to start rising further to the south in the coming weeks.

[Cyclonefan]

nice areial view

[Ingersoll1978]

A couple more pictures were added to the Construction page...

[DMRyan]

The Western Gateway Park just feels so much more dense, and looks so much neater from a development stand point when buildings are constructed along the side of park.

Anyone driving this stretch of Locust notice how much more dense it feels just having the Allied construction going up?

[Cyclonefan]

i feel that too. it will even more when they build the new allied building and parking garage. then it will be really dense in that area. not to metion all the medium high-rises planed for either side of gateway park.

number 4800 DMRYAN congrats ,
i almost have 100!

[Norwalker]

If I'm not mistaken, by this weekend they'll have the tower crane put up for this expansion project. I always like to see a few of these on the city skyline - definitely makes it look like things are happening . . .

[DMRyan]

Why would they put a tower crane up for this project? They've already put up the bulk of the steel for the expansion with a regular crane. The 1st project never used a tower crane either.

I like seeing the cranes on the skyline too. Unless the 4th & Court project uses one, I don't know if there will be any tower cranes on the horizon in the meantime besides the one they'll likely have to use for the Davis Brown Tower.

Maybe the next Allied phase, if it's taller, will have the need for one. I've heard rumblings that the 3rd phase is to start construction by early next summer.

[dmluvr]

the next allied phase almost has to be taller. That is a very small lot for several hundred thousands worth of square feet---to feet in 4 stories??
don't see it there.

[DMRyan]

Where are you getting 4 stories from? I'd imagine the next phase will be 7 stories+ just like the current building.

[Des Moineser]

He said it'd definately be taller, and he wouldn't see the sense in putting up a four story building.

[Norwalker]

Well, obviously I am mistaken about something, since it's Monday and there's no tower crane up. I saw a notice in Friday's paper that said Walnut south of Allied was closed due to a crane. I don't remember the way it was worded, but I assumed that meant a tower crane was going up.

DMRyan wrote:

. . . Why would they put a tower crane up for this project? They've already put up the bulk of the steel for the expansion with a regular crane. The 1st project never used a tower crane either. . .

True, but there was plenty of room on the unfinished lot to operate a regular crane during the initial construction. Now that two thirds of the new wing's footprint is occupied, very soon there won't be any room to park the crane where they have now, to say nothing of it having the necessary reach angles to complete the remaining girder work. I guess I just can't imagine how they will do it without either closing the street for a while or parking right on top of the south courtyard landscaping. Maybe those construction engineers are smarter than I am . . .

By the way, construction of the new building across the street is supposed to start mid-year in 2007. Rumor says to expect some sort of design release sometime after the first of the year.

[dmluvr]

all in all-the development on this is moving along nicely......can't wait till after the new year for the new announcment.


dmryan--I was generalizing the 4 story style suburan kind of lot.

Even at 7 stories--I'm thinking it could even be 10+.......regardless--its going to add great density to gateway west.

[Ingersoll1978]

It gets a little nerve racking when you're waiting for the rendering to surface. I hope it doesn't look anything like their current buildings.

[dogbo]

I'm hoping for street level retail! It is almost a necessity so as not to have an entire dead block there. In addition, it will be a nice complement to the businesses in the Harlette (sp?) apartments (e.g. Ritual Cafe).

[dmluvr]

great call dogbo---IT HAS to have 1st floor or it's just going to really kill that vibe in that area of the district---is the addtion going in now going to have retail??

[DMRyan]

nope.

[dmluvr]

wow man--that was pretty short and to the point

[DMRyan]

This doesn't really have anything to do with the new Allied Development, but check out the Allied campus at night time right now! Blue Christmas lights were put up on all the trees out front, and it looks sharp and colorful. This will look great in the future with these lights going down three city blocks on Locust Street.

Gateway West Park and surrounding areas need to go all out for the holidays and more when it comes to lighting.

[Ingersoll1978]

This doesn't really have anything to do with the new Allied Development, but check out the Allied campus at night time right now! Blue Christmas lights were put up on all the trees out front, and it looks sharp and colorful. This will look great in the future with these lights going down three city blocks on Locust Street.

Gateway West Park and surrounding areas need to go all out for the holidays and more when it comes to lighting.

I saw the lights this morning Ryan. They do look really cool...although not on a large scale. Gateway West should be clad in all blue lights. It would make the area stick out.