Ankeny Development Thread

[butters]

Any one know what is going on with the old Ankeny Lanes?

It has a big Denny Elwell sign out front...So I'd bet it will be another cheaply built and crappy strip mall.

This turd of a development is worse than I ever would have imagined. I thought for sure the old dilapitated bowling alley would be knocked down so that Denny Elwell Company could put up another one of their cheap corrugated metal sided pole barns they call a strip mall. But it's worse. They are leaving the dilpaitated buidling in place, cuting some holes in the old metal siding to put in storefront and calling the turd a strip mall. Argh. It's maddening at times the things Ankeny allows to be built.

[Keepgrowingdsm]

I was thinking it would be a great location for Walgreens since they love the corner of two busy streets, but doubted they would want to move from their current location further north. Looks like I was close and it looks like you were right Ryan - it will be a CVS Pharmacy. They are asking for a zoning variance.

You broke the CVS story quite some time ago, but tonight it was the lead story on the 6 p.m. news on KCCI. In fact, they called it EXCLUSIVE This web site rocks and gets a lot of good scoops. Great job everyone!!

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

Dirt work has started for the Mills Fleet Farm.

[iowacountyite]

Dirt work has also started on the old dominion freight hub.

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

I noticed this morning that Mens Warehouse has opened a location in one of the strip malls near Super Target.

[DMRyan]

The new 300,000 sq. ft. John Deere plant expansion is underway. According to a DSM Business Record article, the plant has added 600 employees over the past two years and employs nearly 2,000 people. This might easily surpass the Bridgestone/Firestone plant as the largest manufacturing employer in the metro.



Ankeny is a nice roll with some economic development prospects right now!

[wmjindsm]

Pita Pit will be coming to Ankeny (and 4 others soon in the metro according to the Register blog). This store will be at 1805 S.E. Delaware Ave. (the strip in front of Kohl's). This is a national chain.

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/ ... etro-area/

http://www.pitapitusa.com/home.php

[Jmmt59]

Pita Pit is an excellent place for grub!! Can't wait!!

[otter]

Any idea what Caseys is doing? Seeing a chunk of dirt moving, but wasn't sure why. Looks like they might just be expanding their parking lot for their trailers.

[bbnskb]

Drove down Delaware yesterday and noticed that Push Pedal Pull "P3" has opened in the old Harrisson's next to Okoboji Grill.

[iowacountyite]

Along the interstate there is grading being done in the TMC trucking neck of the woods.... Anyone have any idea? Did I miss something? I cant imagine its anything more extravagant than the Pre-cast concrete walls that seem to be lining 35 in Ankeny/DSM.

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

Along the interstate there is grading being done in the TMC trucking neck of the woods.... Anyone have any idea? Did I miss something? I cant imagine its anything more extravagant than the Pre-cast concrete walls that seem to be lining 35 in Ankeny/DSM.

I'm assuming you are talking about the dirt work being done for the future Mills Fleet Farm location.

[iowacountyite]

No... I think its south of the TMC Trucking hub.... Much smaller piece of land than the new Mills Fleet Farm.

[DMRyan]

Enough about that, anybody been to the Number 7 Brewing Company yet?

[sokrbum]

Anyone on here know when/if Hy-Vee will EVER build a new store at Prairie Trail in Ankeny?

[otter]

Sounds like Ankeny will be getting a Caribou Coffee next spring, at least according to loopnet. South of Oralabor RD and just west of Sportsman's Warehouse. They are building a new mutli-tenant retail space

Looks like they are finally starting construction of this building. I saw yesterday that they have started the grading.

[bbnskb]

I am told from a credible source that Cabella's is looking to build somewhere along I-35 in Ankeny, specifically around the Elkhart Exit, new 36th Street Exit or south of the new Mills Fleet Farm south of Oralabor.

[otter]

I am told from a credible source that Cabella's is looking to build somewhere along I-35 in Ankeny, specifically around the Elkhart Exit, new 36th Street Exit or south of the new Mills Fleet Farm south of Oralabor.

Seems so close to Bass Pro Shops. Obiviously on a different interstate, but still very close. Not saying you are not right, but it would be somewhat surprising if they ended up in Ankeny.

[bbnskb]

I am told from a credible source that Cabella's is looking to build somewhere along I-35 in Ankeny, specifically around the Elkhart Exit, new 36th Street Exit or south of the new Mills Fleet Farm south of Oralabor.

Seems so close to Bass Pro Shops. Obiviously on a different interstate, but still very close. Not saying you are not right, but it would be somewhat surprising if they ended up in Ankeny.

That was pretty much my comment back to him. I guess its the "Osco/CVS/Walgreens" effect - where there's one, there's the other.

[dogbo]

I am told from a credible source that Cabella's is looking to build somewhere along I-35 in Ankeny, specifically around the Elkhart Exit, new 36th Street Exit or south of the new Mills Fleet Farm south of Oralabor.

Seems so close to Bass Pro Shops. Obiviously on a different interstate, but still very close. Not saying you are not right, but it would be somewhat surprising if they ended up in Ankeny.

That was pretty much my comment back to him. I guess its the "Osco/CVS/Walgreens" effect - where there's one, there's the other.

Might be a bad analogy from Cabella's standpoint.

About a dozen years ago Osco Drug came into the metro and put stores up near all the major Walgreens. A few years later, they closed them all and left the metro entirely.

[econboy]

Outside of the western areas of the metro where 80/35 come togeather the Ankeny area is where the other main terminus is located for the traffic moving into and out of the metro at least on designated interstates. These high traffic corridors are where places like Cabellas like to be. If there is money to be made (and there is for a store like this) then they will build it there.

[wmjindsm]

Pita Pit at 1805 S.E. Delaware Ave. in the strip mall in front of the Kohl’s department store will be opening tomorrow according to Patt Johnson at the Register.

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/ ... ns-friday/

[DMRyan]

If true and if Cabella's builds, would this be the end of the Sportsman's Warehouse store at Oralabor and Delaware?

This does seem a little close to Bass Pro Shops. I would've thought they would build out west somewhere before this, but I suppose an Ankeny location would be closer in capitalizing on the Ames/Marshalltown submarkets. I would rather see a natural retail draw like this anchoring a shopping/entertainment district rather than plodded next to freeway big box stores.

[butters]

If true and if Cabella's builds, would this be the end of the Sportsman's Warehouse store at Oralabor and Delaware?

This does seem a little close to Bass Pro Shops. I would've thought they would build out west somewhere before this, but I suppose an Ankeny location would be closer in capitalizing on the Ames/Marshalltown submarkets. I would rather see a natural retail draw like this anchoring a shopping/entertainment district rather than plodded next to freeway big box stores.

I would bet good money that Sportsmans is already doomed with the Mills Fllet Farm going up - Mills Fleet Farm has a huge outdoors/sporting goods department. Once Fleet Farm opens, I think sportsman will be closing their doors in 6 months to 1 year later. Just my opinion.

[otter]

I think I remember hearing last year or two years ago or so that Sportsmen Warehouse was already having problems, so if that is true, then it probably won't take much to shut them down.

Speaking of underproforming stores....how is Dahls still in business?

[otter]

New Ankeny interchange. Due to the funding by the IDOT the 1st St/I35 interchange might be moving along a lot faster and be taking a different look:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120904/NEWS/309040018/-1/GETPUBLISHED03scripts/New-interchange-style-wanted-Ankeny-project

WMV of what a diverging diamond intersection looks like
http://www.in.gov/indot/video/3D_Hybrid.wmv

[Mastermind]

I this is what the Mills Civic and I-35 Intersection is in WDM, by Glenn Oaks and West Glenn.

[otter]

I this is what the Mills Civic and I-35 Intersection is in WDM, by Glenn Oaks and West Glenn.

Well the press is saying that this or the Alice Rd one would be the states 1st diverging diamond. I think it would have some characteristics of the WDSM one, but different still

[DMRyan]

I this is what the Mills Civic and I-35 Intersection is in WDM, by Glenn Oaks and West Glenn.

Mills Civic is a single-point urban interchange (SPUI)

SPUI




Diverging Diamond:

[Mastermind]

They look the same to me...