World Food Prize Headquarters

[Better Life dude]

I thought this transfer happened during the World Food Prize events last month. Anyhow, here's an excerpt from a short article from the Chicago Tribune's web site:

Renovation of old Des Moines library follows deal
November 14, 2009

DES MOINES, Iowa - Officials from the World Food Prize Foundation and city of Des Moines plan to sign agreements transferring ownership of a landmark former library.

After foundation president Kenneth Quinn and Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie sign the agreements Monday, work will begin on a nearly $30 million restoration project, transforming the 106-year-old building into the Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates.

The building overlooks the Des Moines River in the heart of Des Moines and served as the main library from 1903 to 2006.

[Cmuse]

I remember seeing these for the first time in the library. I always wondered who the artists were and what happened to them.

The Library Murals: http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/06/01/d ... pa-murals/

That blog notes who led the WPA team of artists that created those murals: Grant Wood. I hadn't thought about those murals in years. As the blog post states, the murals were in the lower level of the building: what by the 1970s were a lower foyer, the music library, and the Des Moines and Midwest history room. Those murals really were quite powerful, but are they in restorable condition? If they are, I hope they will be incorporated in the renovation of the old library. The building would then become a tribute to two world-class visionaries that the state has produced: Norman Borlaug and Grant Wood.

For those who may not know, during the Great Depression the federal WPA program puts thousands of painters, sculptors, and architects to work nationwide in the creation of public art.

[DMRyan]

Looking at the interior renderings posted on the WFP website, this thing looks pretty gilded, but I think that was to be expected for the $30 million in renovation costs. The Iowa Judicial Building, which is a larger structure with an additional occupied floor cost $30 million to build, and it's a 100-year building. Granted, construction costs have gone up since 2002, but that should be a clue as to the quality of this renovation.

[hawk61401]

Not sure I understand what they are saying. "The process of transferring ownership" which has been used for example like on the WFP web site and the DMR http://www.worldfoodprize.org/press_roo ... /lease.htm . If I understand correctly, this is a 50-year lease with the right to renew for an additional 50 years.

A lease entitles someone to occupy a property but it doesn't transfer title or ownership of a property.

[DMRyan]

The entire lot has the construction fencing up and there looks to be some survey work and site prep already underway. There should be a lot going on on the west side of the riverfront, with sewer work initially, followed by the riverwalk construction. A new sewer project along Court Avenue is supposed to alleviate future flooding problems caused by back ups and what is normally a mundane pump station is proposed to receive a pretty artistic makeover to match the remainder of the riverwalk project.

[Better Life dude]

Construction fencing never looked so good. Progress

[DMRyan]

Photos of the library and of the site ready to go for some winter interior renovation work.

[mirage1]

Dave Funk, republican candidate for 3rd district in Iowa running in a primary against Boswell, put out a press release blasting spending federal money on this Des Moines landmark.

http://iowaindependent.com/24004/republ ... estoration

While one can understand the outrage against earmarks, in my opinion there were hundreds more earmarks that were more outrageous than this one. How about the $500,000 to Simpson College for a memorial of Senator Culver's contributions...and on and on and on.....

Just not sure of the sense of this press release.............

[hawk61401]

Dave Funk, republican candidate for 3rd district in Iowa running in a primary against Boswell, put out a press release blasting spending federal money on this Des Moines landmark.

The John H. Baker Film Collection exhibit at the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City secured $300,000 in earmarks. The St Louis Art Museum Foundation in St Louis received $250,000 in ear marks.

Maybe Funk believes that we should return that money so that other midwest cities can have it. Personally, I want a representative that cares about the best interests of Des Moines. Apparently, Funk doesn't. The World Food Prize Headquarters is of more importance in it's mission than a Jazz Museum.

Funk is also out of touch with the wind industry in Iowa. He believes we have enough oil to last a thousand years. All we have to do is spend billions digging a hole to China.

[1999]

Thanks for the pictures DMRyan. I have a lot of great memories in that building. Looking forward to being back inside there in the future to see the transformation.

When it's finished and they hold a celebration, I imagine Dave Funk will be on the do not invite list.

[DMRyan]

A few updates of the work going on at the food prize site. The windows are currently being replaced, which is the only visible sign of progress on the exterior right now. There are workers humming away on the interior restoration, but work has commenced on the landscaped courtyard yet.

[hawk61401]

There are workers humming away on the interior restoration, but work has commenced on the landscaped courtyard yet.

I'm a big fuzzzy on this. Is the courtyard going to be where the library’s parking lot is? But aren't they also landscaping the side that faces the river? Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects is doing this. http://www.hoerrschaudt.com/main.php

They did an excellent job on Fleur Drive. They also did Martin Luther King Drive in Chicago. I wish our MLK looked this gooood. http://www.hoerrschaudt.com/civic/marti ... -drive.php

[DMRyan]

Both sides of the food prize will see major landscaping improvements, but the real show stopper will be on the very visible west side of the project. I've seen the landscape plan for the WFP and you'll be hard pressed to find a project that will have more landscaping than this one. This is truly a first class piece of renovation work that will feed into the already high bar set for riverwalk projects.

[hawk61401]

Thanks Ryan. I am like a kid at Christmas. I can't wait to see all of this done.

Des Moines is just like any other city. It will always have it's minority of whiners. I was reading a few days ago in the DMR the complaints of those who thought it was silly and wasteful to beautify Fleur Drive. As you called it, this "show stopper" on the west side of the WFP will be another attaction which adds to the quality of life in Des Moines and ratchets up it's reputation.

Iowa Public Television has some clips about Iowa's and Des Moines' growing art scene and about the role that cultural enrichment plays in the economy and creating vital communities that attract and retain citizens.

here it is: http://www.iptv.org/video/detail.cfm/33 ... 090219_217

[DMRyan]

Most dolts commenting on the Register site probably aren't aware that the beautification of Fleur Drive was almost entirely privately funded and that the DSM Water Works has assumed responsibility for its maintenance. The City got out of this with a very minimal expense, for those that complain about what the city spends it's money on.

I never read the messageboard of a local newspaper that didn't have a large contingency of miserable people complaining about something.

[dogbo]

I never read the messageboard of a local newspaper that didn't have a large contingency of miserable people complaining about something.

I gave up reading/contributing to those a long time ago. It was almost depressing seeing how negative and miserable people are that contribute regularily the Register articles.

[hawk61401]

The 2010 World Food Prize international symposium is coming up fast ... October 13-15. Some of the VIP's will be Princess Haya Al Hussein, daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan, Jeff Raikes, the CEO of the Gates Foundation and the former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan.

One could argue that this is the most important and prestigious development in downtown Des Moines and one that is going to grow in prestige. No one in India or Africa cares about the developments in the western gateway. They do care about the WFP. According to the United Nations the world's population will increase by more than 50 percent between 2000 and 2050, from 6.1 to 9.2 billion people. And if that isn't scary enough, according to estimates by the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations there were more than 1.24 acres of arable land per person globally in 1950. In less than ten years, arable land will fall to less than half its 1950 level.

Andy Andrews talks about his first children's book that was released last month ..

[DMRyan]

A few fairly recent shots of the work at the World Food Prize site. Construction on the exterior, including the landscaped courtyard is SLOW, SLOW, SLOW, but it's been since March of this year for the last photo update.

[vauxhall]

Evidently, travel writer Rick Steves was in Des Moines for the recent World Food Prize award ceremony. The Chicago Tribune carried a column from Rick in the Travel section of the November 29 Sunday issue. Although the column sticks to the topic of the food prize award, I believe it is good exposure for the Food Prize headquarters. Here is the link:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/sc ... 4519.story

[dogbo]

A few fairly recent shots of the work at the World Food Prize site. Construction on the exterior, including the landscaped courtyard is SLOW, SLOW, SLOW, but it's been since March of this year for the last photo update.

One issue that I continual to wonder about as I watch them work in this building is whether or not they intend to open up the windows that were bricked-up (or is "stoned-up" more of an accurate term) years ago. The best example is this photo. See the impressions of the three windows on the 3rd floor that are now closed off. There are additional examples like this on the north side of the building too.

My assumption was yes, they'd probably knock these out and reinstall windows however since they have installed new windows everywhere else at this time, I'm thinking they'll surprisingly remain closed off.

[hawk61401]

Evidently, travel writer Rick Steves was in Des Moines for the recent World Food Prize award ceremony. The Chicago Tribune carried a column from Rick in the Travel section of the November 29 Sunday issue. Although the column sticks to the topic of the food prize award, I believe it is good exposure for the Food Prize headquarters. Here is the link:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/sc ... 4519.story

vauxhall, thanks for finding that. I didn't see much press coverage about the World Food Prize winners and that's disappointing. The award in Des Moines isn't as big and sexy in the media's eyes as the Nobel Peace Prize Award in Oslo, but it's just as important. There can't be peace if everyone in the world doesn't have enough food to eat. We're in a race that's just as critical as stopping terrorism or the spread of nuclear weapons.

The population of the world in 1804 was one billion, two billion in 1927, three billion in 1960, and then it accelerates even faster ... four billion in 1974, five billion in 1987, and six billion in 1999. It's estimated to reach seven billion by late 2011, and 9 billion by 2045. Everyday, the scale becomes more imbalanced. We have less land to grow crops and more mouths to feed.

[DMRyan]

One issue that I continual to wonder about as I watch them work in this building is whether or not they intend to open up the windows that were bricked-up (or is "stoned-up" more of an accurate term) years ago. The best example is this photo. See the impressions of the three windows on the 3rd floor that are now closed off. There are additional examples like this on the north side of the building too.

My assumption was yes, they'd probably knock these out and reinstall windows however since they have installed new windows everywhere else at this time, I'm thinking they'll surprisingly remain closed off.

The stone infill windows will remain. I'm not sure what historic significance this has in determining why they left them in place versus installing new windows. It's not like the WFP was trying to go cheap on the project by skipping this step, so there must be some reasoning behind this.

[Young DSM Social Club]

It looks weird to me that they are still blocked off ...

[dogbo]

It looks weird to me that they are still blocked off ...

Agreed. However, since the stone matches perfectly to the surrounding walls, is it possible it was built this way? Anyone have any early pics we can use to verify?

[BriGuy]

The population of the world in 1804 was one billion, two billion in 1927, three billion in 1960, and then it accelerates even faster ... four billion in 1974, five billion in 1987, and six billion in 1999. It's estimated to reach seven billion by late 2011, and 9 billion by 2045. Everyday, the scale becomes more imbalanced. We have less land to grow crops and more mouths to feed.

Sad, but true. Suburbanization has destroyed acres and acres of prime farmland in our metro areas away from food production to create shopping centers and homes with big yards. But I don't see Iowa or too many other states too concerned. The farmers will just have grow more with less ground apparently.

[DMRyan]

Still very much an active construction site on the slowest progressing project this side of the riverwalk. Of note since the last photo update is the decorative ball (acroterium in architectural terms) that is apparently original to the building, but long, long ago destroyed and never replaced, and the start of the construction of the stairway facing the riverwalk. There's stil nothing happening on the 2nd Avenue side other than dirt being pushed around and the grounds starting to be staked out. This building is supposed to be open by mid to late September.

[wmjindsm]

The Register has video of the four new murals in the rotunda.


http://www.desmoinesregister.com/articl ... |Frontpage

[DMRyan]

Incredible stuff and it looks about as gilded as the capitol building in there. It's getting hard to even imagine using this building as the Central Library any more. I'm actually looking forward to the opening this fall and seeing the garden get built over the summer (well, as excited as you can get for the World Food Prize anyway).

[Downtowner]

So anyone know if this building will be available to be booked for wedding receptions? Would be a great spot for that and other private events...

[dogbo]

I noticed they've begun installing a lot of the landscaping. Bringing in some very mature trees/bushes. Is going to look VERY nice.