East Village News

[Ingersoll1978]

Look for the opening of Enterprise within the next couple of days, the office furniture is in, the parking lot has been hosed down, and a temporary sign has been affixed to the building.

I noticed they have their signs up. Now I can just walk from the store to pick up a car when I need one.

Welcome to the forums midwest!

[Mototail]

Here's the direct link to the new club that's opening up at 504 E. Locust.
http://www.504club.com/contact_us.html

[conquistador2]

Does anyone know if the deli on Des Moines Street is still operating? I drove by Hammer Pharmacy (E. 6th & Grand) last Friday night, and there was a sign on the corner stating there was a restaurant auction taking place Saturday (the 11th). I wasn't sure if they were selling stuff that was left over from Chef Joe's or if Molly's had closed. I couldn't find anything on-line about the sale, either, so I thought maybe someone over there would know.

[Mototail]

I didn't see it open today, but I haven't heard any official word on their closing.

[SFO2DSM]

I saw in one of the Business Record's emails recently that a new Thai restaurant sounding business name had filed for incorporation. The address given was the old Ban Thai spot. Anyone know if a Thai restaurant is going back in, or who is behind it? It's not that we are lacking for amazing Thai food in the metro, it just hurts to see a nice place in the East Village close. Until a new place opens, give Pad Thai next to Harding Hills Hy-Vee a try. They are amazing, and I suspect, under-patronized.

[Ingersoll1978]

I saw in one of the Business Record's emails recently that a new Thai restaurant sounding business name had filed for incorporation. The address given was the old Ban Thai spot. Anyone know if a Thai restaurant is going back in, or who is behind it? It's not that we are lacking for amazing Thai food in the metro, it just hurts to see a nice place in the East Village close. Until a new place opens, give Pad Thai next to Harding Hills Hy-Vee a try. They are amazing, and I suspect, under-patronized.

I would assume this location will reopen then. I had a lady asking about Ban Thai the other day...but had to tell her it closed.

[dogbo]

I saw in one of the Business Record's emails recently that a new Thai restaurant sounding business name had filed for incorporation. The address given was the old Ban Thai spot. Anyone know if a Thai restaurant is going back in, or who is behind it? It's not that we are lacking for amazing Thai food in the metro, it just hurts to see a nice place in the East Village close. Until a new place opens, give Pad Thai next to Harding Hills Hy-Vee a try. They are amazing, and I suspect, under-patronized.

The exterior has been repainted to gold and red. (from the former, tan). somthing's happen there...McDonalds?

[midwest]

I saw in one of the Business Record's emails recently that a new Thai restaurant sounding business name had filed for incorporation. The address given was the old Ban Thai spot. Anyone know if a Thai restaurant is going back in, or who is behind it? It's not that we are lacking for amazing Thai food in the metro, it just hurts to see a nice place in the East Village close. Until a new place opens, give Pad Thai next to Harding Hills Hy-Vee a try. They are amazing, and I suspect, under-patronized.

I would assume this location will reopen then. I had a lady asking about Ban Thai the other day...but had to tell her it closed.

The Simon Tire folks confirmed that there is another Thai place going in the Ban Thai location. I am not sure on the timing, but as the previous poster mentioned it has been recently painted.

[DMRyan]

You know, Walnut Street in the East Village now is dog ugly, but really just seems to be one or two new projects away from getting some major inertia going. There's just not enough building stock left along this stretch to accomplish much now.

If downtown developers continue to have great occupancy rates on the next wave of apartments to open up downtown, I'm hopeful a developer can step up to get another apartment project going in the East Village. This just seems like such a livable area of downtown, I can't imagine the new development drought lasting too long here. Of course the leasing of the oodles of vacant retail space in the area would also help the bottom line of any projects that wish to incorporate street level retail (which should almost be a requirement in the East Village).

[Young DSM Social Club]

I think unless it's a special project, first floor retail (or at least office) should absolutely required .... all that dead space in core downtown is part of why it's so, well, dead.

As we've discussed on here, any major city does not allow parking ramps, etc., to have wasted dead space on the 1st floor --- even Iowa City doesn't appear to allow it anymore. Des Moines needs to step it up!

[wildbill]

It looks like there's some construction going on at the Grand Piano Bistro. Any word?

[wmjindsm]

It looks like there's some construction going on at the Grand Piano Bistro. Any word?

Joanne Boeckman at the Register just posted it will be a Quinton's Bar & Deli.

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/ ... -bar-deli/

http://www.quintons.com/desmoines/

[Young DSM Social Club]

Like Iowa City Quintons?

[Hojo]

Like Iowa City Quintons?

Yes

[midwest]

Taste of Thai opens tomorrow in the old Ban Thai location at 215 E. Walnut.

[midwest]

Quinton's opened up on Wednesday in the old Grand Piano Bistro spot on Grand. They are in their "soft opening" phase where they are training their new staff and working out the kinks with the menu and getting a feel for how the operations are going to work. I went there yesterday and the place was swamped at lunch and they don't quite have things figured out yet. Took about an hour and a half to get/eat the meal, but they made up for it with some freebies. If I were you I would wait a couple of months before giving it a shot so they can figure things out first. The Iowa City location is solid, and I expect this one to be as well, just give them some time.

[MusicMan]

I was in there late last night hoping to get some food... unfortunately, the kitchen closes at 10pm. I was hoping they would have a late night menu until at least 12. They will be open 7am - 2am seven days/week (breakfast menu in the morning).

[Ingersoll1978]

Urban Belly is returning to the East Village on March 7th under new ownership. The new location will be behind Sticks on E 6th St (in the bays attached to the new parking garage).

http://www.urbanbelly.com/

[wmjindsm]

Well this will be interesting. The Register is reporting the george Formero is developing Zombie Burger in the East Village. Read more in the Register, interesting article.

http://desmoines.metromix.com/restauran ... 03/content

[Young DSM Social Club]

All good news for the East Village. Ate at the new Thai place today. I liked it ... not as much as Thai Flavors, but I'd definitely eat there again. Fast/good service too. Nice sized crowd.

[wmjindsm]

Here is the full press release on Zombie Burger. The thing I didn't notice at first is that on Friday and Saturday Nights it will be open until 4AM. I'm glad finally somebody will be open past bar time. I thought Jimmy John's might do that - but no.

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/ ... s-release/

[dogbo]

Here is the full press release on Zombie Burger. The thing I didn't notice at first is that on Friday and Saturday Nights it will be open until 4AM. I'm glad finally somebody will be open past bar time. I thought Jimmy John's might do that - but no.

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/ ... s-release/

I'm never out and about at that time anymore, but I think Fong's is open after bar time.

[Ingersoll1978]

I only know of one apartment available in the East Village (in e300). This past week, I've heard from 3 or 4 people that have stopped in looking for apartments in the area and can't find anything. It's a good problem to have...but time for another apartment building to go up in the neighborhood!

[DMRyan]

I don't understand it either. It's been too long since a project was proposed in the East Village. Even the first floor commercial spaces in many of the newer buildings have begun filling up. The best part is there's no shortage of empy lots left to build on! I would like to see the holes on E. Grand and E. Locust filled in before the East Village starts it's natural progression to the south, but I won't be picky at this point.

[Ingersoll1978]

I don't understand it either. It's been too long since a project was proposed in the East Village. Even the first floor commercial spaces in many of the newer buildings have begun filling up. The best part is there's no shortage of empy lots left to build on! I would like to see the holes on E. Grand and E. Locust filled in before the East Village starts it's natural progression to the south, but I won't be picky at this point.

I'd really like to see the vacant lot on the NW corner of E 4th and Locust be developed. The backside of 333 E Grand is ugly...which development of this parcel would cover it up. Hatch (who I believe still owns the land) should reactivate his Paseo development.

http://www.absolutedsm.com/des-moines-p ... oject.html

[BenRoethig]

Problem is that they banks are lending money for new project. There have been tons of shovel ready projects postponed or cancelled because they can't get financing.

[hawk61401]

I'm not up to date on every Des Moines ordinance but I'm guessing that Des Moines doesn't require a parking lot to have a certain percentage of shade. Other cities, for over a decade, require that a parking lot become 50% tree shaded or other aesthetics.

This is an area where downtown Des Moines has never gotten serious. All of the development downtown and this one has missed the boat. The west side of City Hall is postcard beautiful - the east side is a massive ugly -a** slab of an asphalt parking lot. For surface parking lot owners, why not use a carrot and stick? Incentives to help them develop the lots - pressure to make sure they are as pleasing to the eye as possible.

[Philby]

I know some lots (Principal comes to mind, so N dtown core) have REMOVED trees recently because of all the fecal matter the crows left while perched on said trees.

[hawk61401]

I know some lots (Principal comes to mind, so N dtown core) have REMOVED trees recently because of all the fecal matter the crows left while perched on said trees.

Now that!, is a lot of crow sh*t! http://bit.ly/euAmuQ

[Mastermind]

Womens accessories store Leona Ruby coming to East Village June1st.
http://www.leonaruby.com/Leona_Ruby/Leona_Ruby.html