Wellmark's New Downtown Headquarters

[dogbo]

As long as the garage is somewhat hidden (which I believe it will be from Grand Avenue), I think it looks fine. For me personally, I'm never going to complain about a structure being too big or massive that is set in an urban, downtown area. IMO, that goes with the territory and generally what is desired.

[Des Moineser]

Parking ramps are very necessary and I understand that. Unfortunately they are just a huge box of dead space. I think the parking ramp is too big when it looks bigger than the building it goes with. From 15th and Woodland, for example, the ramp dwarfs it.

Agreed also, while they have the right to keep the riff-raff out, it would have been much better of them to be part of the Gateway West community and connect to the otherwise fantastic park system... 24/7, not just during business hours. Swing and a miss.

[SFO2DSM]

As ugly as most parking ramps are, I am going to have to say this one is necessary. As far as Des Moines parking ramps go, this one looks fairly nice from the outside. And, won't there be retail on the bottom floor, or daycare? Better than cars.

[hawk61401]

I was out for a run on a Saturday afternoon and wasn't in quite as good of shape as I thought. I got to the Z-shaped Principal building downtown with the cool (pun intended) mist fountain. I sat down to catch my breath and rest my aching shins. A corporate cop came and told me that I had to leave as the open space was private property - not that there was anyone else even in sight on a Saturday afternoon. So that's how we are treated after all of the tax breaks and incentives we give these corporate citizens? At least we can still walk by on the sidewalks.

CJG, I seen this on flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tabor-roed ... 15576@N00/

I remembered your post. Apparently, no one is even suppose to take a photo of it. The photographer had the same experience you had. I'd be curious to see how that 4 foot security fence looks at Wellmark. Nothing wrong with security, but I think some of our corporate citizens take it too far.

[QuadCityImages]

Nothing wrong with security, but I think some of our corporate citizens take it too far.

Agreed. This is stupid. At least I have the satisfaction of know that the check I just wrote them will be the last before I change insurance...

[DMRyan]

I agree with the sentiment here on overzealous security, but I personally think the new wall at Wellmark looks pretty sharp. It does help define Wellmark's landscaped space as their own rather than public space, but the materials they used on the wall add a lot of interest. I certainly like the looks of it more than the plain concrete curved walls at the sculpture garden or concrete at Nollen Plaza.

[dogbo]

I could be wrong, but I believe almost every major office building owner has similar policies on photo's. It is a security issue. Don't ask me how or why, but if they're all doing it, there must be good reason

[DMRyan]

The obvious difference in whether or not they have any right to ask you to leave is if you're on their property or public property. They have no legal ability to prevent the taking of photos from public property, despite attempts to ask you to leave.

[hawk61401]

I've seen groups of Japanese businessmen in downtown Des Moines practically making love to their cameras. Even if 9/11 had never happened, I think the Japanese are one of the reasons for enhanced security, or, corporate paranoia if you want to call it that.

In 1959, "Made in Japan" was a joke. The Japanese made cheap toys and wooden ones at that. Only a decade later in 1969, they were electronics manufacturers giving Americans stiff competition. Corporate America welcomed them everywhere, into their factories and office buildings. They took the technology captured in those pictures and took our jobs too.

[wmjindsm]

The pictures from Sunday's Register look nice.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... 806&Ref=PH

I was wondering what the big windows in the front of the parking ramp were and noticed in the pictures that it was a basketball court. Was this substituted in place of retail in the garage?

[DMRyan]

Hmm, I don't recall retail ever being a part of the Wellmark project. They always intended the "mixed use" portion of the project to be the daycare and fitness center components.

[dogbo]

Hmm, I don't recall retail ever being a part of the Wellmark project. They always intended the "mixed use" portion of the project to be the daycare and fitness center components.

This was my understanding as well.

[wmjindsm]

Oh OK I thought somebody mentioned them putting retail in the front of the parking ramp, maybe it was just somebody's wish.

[DMRyan]

Wellmark BCBS' new HQ now becomes the largest LEED Platnum Certified building in the world. Quite a feat for a project this size and good that they could accomplish their goal to get the highest level of LEED Certification.

From the Business Record:

Wellmark headquarters first of its size to earn top environmental certification

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield's corporate office in Des Moines has received LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which makes it the only LEED Platinum certified office building of its size in the world, the company said today in a news release.

Wellmark set a goal to reduce administrative expenses by 5 percent on an ongoing basis, as a direct result of efficiencies gained by moving to this building.

"Cost and paybacks were heavily weighted in every decision concerning Wellmark's building," said Dave Southwell, Wellmark chief financial officer. "Without convincing calculations to back them up, this building would not have been built. We expect the building will pay for itself in approximately 10 years. We've already realized $10 million in savings, which is halfway to our 5 percent goal."

[DMRyan]

The old Iowa Health Systems Foundation office building at 15th and Ingersoll is getting demolished to make way for Wellmark's intended green space to the west of their headquarters. This is land that will be put into a holding pattern until the right project comes forward.

[dogbo]

The old Iowa Health Systems Foundation office building at 15th and Ingersoll is getting demolished to make way for Wellmark's intended green space to the west of their headquarters. This is land that will be put into a holding pattern until the right project comes forward.

Story in the Register today. Hard copy had a rendering, don't see it online.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/articl ... own-office

[DMRyan]

This is probably the best thing that could happen to this land for the time being, especially since it will be open to the public instead of walled off for employees only. I just hope there won't be too many tears shed someday when and if this gets developed since the land can support so much more than an interim green space. Good to hear they are adding some landscaping and other amenities, so it isn't entirely just a bare patch of grass.

Short of seeing to the land getting redeveloped themselves, this is good corporate citizenship.

[DMRyan]

I see that Wellmark is finally getting to work on the vacant plot of land they own to the west of their office building. The plans call for this to be green space with a row of large trees planted to hide the east side of the Subway Building, new sidewalks, and some minor grading to create an outdoor natural amphitheater space in the NE corner at Ingersoll and 14th street.

[Shumakerlevy]

As much as I like a nice, green lawn...I was hoping that the site to the east of Subway would have been developed with a beautiful, modern building of some sort. But....at least some attention is being paid to it now.

Hopefully the trees/landscaping that are created will be substantial so that it adds instant pazazz...rather than something tiny/cheap and taking years to mature.

This is all better than a poke in the eye, I suppose....

[casbern]

As much as I like a nice, green lawn...I was hoping that the site to the east of Subway would have been developed with a beautiful, modern building of some sort. But....at least some attention is being paid to it now.

Hopefully the trees/landscaping that are created will be substantial so that it adds instant pazazz...rather than something tiny/cheap and taking years to mature.

This is all better than a poke in the eye, I suppose....

Just a phase until the next growth. No worries.

[dogbo]

^^^ That, and I would have to assume that when (not if) something gets built here, it will mean the end to the subway shop and maybe even the next building to the west too.