Ankeny Development Thread

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

Currently, the Godfathers in Ankeny is on North Ankeny Blvd, just south of the high school. A delivery/carryout location is set to open at the intersection of State & Oralabor Rd.

With all the development taking place on the south end of Ankeny, Godfathers won't be the last pizza place to sprout up on that end.

[sandman]

This is huge. Go Ankeny.

[BenRoethig]

I didn't know Godfathers was still around.

[dogbo]

Still around? Did they ever leave?

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

I hope that was sarcastic. A lot of times, I get the feeling this place is very anti suburb. If you don't want me providing updates, please say so and I won't post here again.

This is huge. Go Ankeny.

[DMRyan]

You're defintely more than welcome to post about any development news you can share.

The scales are obviously tipped towards the urban/city side of things here, but this board is meant to cover the burbs as well. A new Godfather's isn't earth shattering news, but I suppose the same could be said for the annoucements of new small business in East Village as well.

On those smaller Ankeny annoucements, I would probably suggest maybe combining them into one Ankeny deveopment thread?

[Peachtree]

I hope that was sarcastic. A lot of times, I get the feeling this place is very anti suburb. If you don't want me providing updates, please say so and I won't post here again.

This is huge. Go Ankeny.

I'm not anti-suburb. Not all suburbs are bad just like all cities are not good. I love the suburb I live in. We have all the same shopping & restaurants that people in the city have but we have twice the house, land and a 1/10th of the crime and half the taxes of our city cousins. What's not to like about that??

[speeder]

Is it wrong to love the amenities, safety, and space of the suburbs... but be willing to give all that up so that I don't have to live in an A.)Beige, B.) Taupe, or C.)Antique White house on a curvilinear street that looks out over the neighborhood retention pond. I grew up in the western suburbs of Des Moines… and while I love these types of cities, I can not stand the houses people build and/or buy or that walking has become a for recreation only activity. I personally can’t believe the lack of architectural style that some people settle for in any new development, be it Ankeny, or Easter Lake. But alas, that kind of stuff is heavily influenced by the cost associated in details, which some people just don’t care about; which seems weird to me, but really, its not near as much of a concern as if it will sell in four years to some folks.

What I did realize recently, is that not everyone is me, and I am not right even half the time. Husker Freak, I like Ankeny; it is Ankeny and the people who live there, love it… which is good, cause they are paying for it. I’m sure some people look at the commercial development along Delaware Avenue in Ankeny and think, good God, did anyone designing this understand the benefits of access management and design aesthetics? But, then again, are the parking lots empty on Saturdays? Um, nope. Likewise, I drive through Urbandale on 35/80 and think, what the hell is all of this flex space for, and what do they have against matching building scales? But there are some great businesses in those buildings that most likely love where they are at.

Regardless, I’m also glad Ankeny is getting another Godfathers because they have good pizza… my favorite thing as that they put all their ingredients under the cheese if possible… yum. If anything, development should offer consumers choices, something I think we do okay with here in the Des Moines Metro. I think we could use more freaking colors of vinyl siding, but that is my opinion, and it may or may not be supported by the market. Now I’m just rambling, um, GO DES MOINES METRO!

[Peachtree]

Is it wrong to love the amenities, safety, and space of the suburbs... but be willing to give all that up so that I don't have to live in an A.)Beige, B.) Taupe, or C.)Antique White house on a curvilinear street that looks out over the neighborhood retention pond. I grew up in the western suburbs of Des Moines… and while I love these types of cities, I can not stand the houses people build and/or buy or that walking has become a for recreation only activity. I personally can’t believe the lack of architectural style that some people settle for in any new development, be it Ankeny, or Easter Lake. But alas, that kind of stuff is heavily influenced by the cost associated in details, which some people just don’t care about; which seems weird to me, but really, its not near as much of a concern as if it will sell in four years to some folks.

Go do some research on Levittown, NY, you'll find it quite interesting. The very model of suburban sameness in it's infancy back in 1947. The curved streets, the cutesy names of streets/areas, 4 models of homes. Fast forward to today and drive through Levittown. You can't find two houses that are identical in the 17,000+ that were built. It's astounding. The very stark empty sameness of the houses gave these people a canvas on which to express their individuality. You'll see some very crazy adaptations of some of those original Cape Cods and ranches!

[speeder]

I'll have to check that out, I never thought of bland suburban houses as a canvas, but it makes some sense. I am sure the little red brick house I live in, which looks kind of like a few others on the street, probably looked a lot more like the others in the early 50's when they were all first built. Kind of a evolving urban landscape. I hope this is the fate of the tracts of Beige homes that go up in the suburbs across this nation.

[sandman]

Come on now. If you had seriously thought about and studied my 5 or so posts over the last year, you would know that I am a lover of suburban life. My house sits on a piece of land that not more than a year ago was empty prairie land home to some trespassing gopher. However, I am not sure we need to report on each and every Godfather's take out. Although I must admit I do like a good piece of pie every now and then.

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

I love how tax money get's wasted on something like this when you already know that the city will call for a special election to approve bonds to construct an add on to the existing fire station, build a satellite fire station, and build a new police station.

From the Agenda of the February 6 Ankeny City Council Meeting:

CA-3 Consider motion to approve Payment #6 in the amount of $8,660.00 to Williams Architects for Professional Consultant/Architectural Services on the Fire and Police Departments Space Needs Assessment.

[butters]

[quote="speeder"]

I’m sure some people look at the commercial development along Delaware Avenue in Ankeny and think, good God, did anyone designing this understand the benefits of access management and design aesthetics? But, then again, are the parking lots empty on Saturdays? Um, nope. quote]

I tried to make this same point about Ankeny's Delaware Ave. retail corridor being an aesthetic disaster. Some guy nearly bit my head off for making such an accusation!

I'm glad to see I'm not alone in my dislike of buildings constructed out of splitfaced block and metal siding combined with roadsides littered with cheap looking pole signs. Hopefully Ankeny will institute higher design standards when the Prairie Trail development commences.

[speeder]

That is the plan from what I have read about Prairie Trail... it should be a great project with at least higher design standards than Delaware.

One of the key problems with the Delaware Corridor, from an aesthetics, access, and design aspect, is that the whole thing was piece-mailed together. There was really never a master plan for that corridor, why, I have no clue… it certainly would have saved the developers a ton of money in the long run. But, Prairie Trail has a reputable Master Planning Firm working with a thoughtful developer and the resources of the City of Ankeny; hopefully this arrangement will help avoid some of the issues, and unexpected costs, that arise everywhere when vast undeveloped areas are developed piece by piece without a solid plan.

[speeder]

The other interesting thing about Prairie Trail is that it could be classified as brownfield redevelopment. It pretty much surrounded by existing development and the area itself has been used for munitions testing, storage, and manufacturing as well as sewage treatment, dairy farming, animal breeding and who knows what else in its time from farmland, to military munitions plant, to ISU Dairy Research facility with a sanitary treatment facility.

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

Ankeny to "study", in other words, they're planning to either add on to the existing library or build a branch location.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... 025/COMM01

Ankeny residents could have access to more materials and meeting space if city leaders construct a new library or add on to the current facility.

City leaders have hired a planning firm to study space needs at the increasingly cramped Kirkendall library, located at 1210 N.W. Prairie Ridge Drive. While the study should be complete in 60 to 90 days, officials said construction on a new library or addition would not take place for at least four years.

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

If Ankeny residents get their way, another pool could be in the works, from today's Ankeny Register:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... 025/COMM01

Ankeny's long-term plans could include a new aquatic center and more trails, based on the results of a Parks and Recreation Department survey.

The department conducted a survey of Ankeny residents in the fall to gauge residents' satisfaction with current recreational opportunities and facilities. While more than 80 percent of respondents were pleased with the city's overall recreation options, 28 percent said they were satisfied with the current aquatic facility.

Department director Todd Redenius said the Prairie Ridge Family Aquatic Center had one of its highest attendance rates last summer, with more than 86,000 visits during the season. He is not surprised by the interest in a possible new water park.

"That's something that we hear quite frequently," Redenius said.

More than 40 percent of surveyed residents said a new water facility should be an immediate priority. More than half said they wanted swimming lessons, water slides, a zero-depth pool entry, lap-swim areas, a lazy river, play features and aquatic exercise classes as a part of that facility.

When it comes to paying for a new aquatic center, 44 percent said they would support a tax increase and 30 percent would oppose it.

[DMRyan]

A few more photos of some recent Ankeny commercial and residential projects. Thank you for the photos Speeder.

I don't know much about the projects, so I'll leave the narration to someone more familiar with A-Town.

Briarwood Center







Creekside Townhomes






Elkwood Village Townhomes


New Fareway Store


New Bank


New commercial tenant space in "Olde Town" Ankeny

[Brady]

I like those townhouses. they remind me of ones i've seen in suburban maryland by washington DC. ones like those have a better chance of creating a more urban area in the future than does some other cheap house or apartment looking buildings that are labelled "town homes".

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

those townhomes are being built by Regency and are way out on North Delaware. I was out and about one Saturday morning and my jaw dropped when I came across these townhomes, very impressive development.

I know of at least one tennant alread in the Kimberly Building (besides Kimberly) and that's a home mortgage company, Ashworth Funding. I had to drop off some papers a while back and really didn't look around that much, butyou could smell the newness in them.

[UrbandaleGuy]

Those brownstones/townhomes at Creekside are indeed nice. I toured one several months back and was extremely impressed. I would have bought one on the spot but didn't want to live way out on the north edge of Ankeny. My commute to work from Urbandale is already long enough as it is and gas isn't getting cheaper. I heard that the builder (hubbell) will be building more developments of similar design in other metro locations.

[MNWildFan]

Not picking on you MNWild, but if nightclubs are a big deal to you, why do you choose to live in a city that is pretty much built for families (as opposed to an active nightlife for singles/young people)? I ask this because I often hear this from young people in Ankeny and I wonder why they chose to live there then? It seems to me there are plenty of other places scattered throughtout the metro that could offer more in terms of nightlife if that is an important aspect of the community you live in.

LOL, I know you aren't picking on me. As I have said before, I didn't move to Ankeny for the nightlife because there are none. Although there is nothing wrong in going out every once in a while. I moved here because of the easy access to Saylorville and Big Creek. I am much more of an outdoor person who likes to boat and snowmobile. Besides, I just hate coming home after being out at the clubs smelling like smoke

I was just saying that it is nice to see more variety and diversity coming here. And as you and others have said, Denny Arthur's isn't the best as I found out when I met up with some friends at the one out in Clive or Urbandale the other day. Not good...

Ah well, to each their own I say...

Lets keep this thread on track now

[dmluvr]

oh my god--denny arthurs!!! ick!! Yeah--well...it's definitally one of those places that you'll find your stereotypical midwest set up.


and hey--MNWILD!! Great to see you man!!! Wohoo!

[speeder]

Ankeny Press Citizen
Sandy Sanderson, Managing Editor

Kirkendall Library Board studies options to expand facilities

One of the more popular city amenities is the Kirkendall Public Library.

Residents in and around Ankeny use it. Parents with children use it. Students use it.

And, it's clear the city has outgrown the facility.

Nearly every day anyone seeking to use a computer has to schedule a limited time on one. Even with expanded children's story time sessions, there isn't enough room to offer space to all the kids and parents who want to participate. Meeting rooms are in high demand, from student work sessions to town home association meetings.

Keeping a facility large enough to handle usage has always been a challenge. The first library was established in 1961 at the present site of the city police station in UpTown Ankeny. It then moved to the Ankeny City Hall and finally to its present location adjacent to Northview Middle School in 1996.

Positioning a library next to a school seemed logical. It wasn't.

When school dismisses for the day, students await pick-up outside the door or inside, creating a crowd. Librarians become babysitters. Trust me, many middle school students still require babysitting. The parking lot becomes a traffic jam.

Now, the library board is actively working to come up with a solution. Last week, the library conducted a day-long public forum to field ideas on what a modern library should offer, what it should have for space and where it should be located. These ideas will be compiled into a report and presented to the library board this month. The board will then make recommendations to the city council.

The key issue is location. There appears to be three options:

1. Expand the present library. The problem with this option is that the space to expand is limited. The city swimming pool (another issue that's looming) is just north of the library. Northview takes up the parcel to the south. Kirkendall is pretty much landlocked. And the traffic and babysitting issues remain.

2. Locate further north on land that's not yet developed. It would probably take six to seven acres of land to establish a workable site for a new library. This land is already in the sights of developers. It would be costly just to acquire the land, up to $45,000 an acre. It also takes the location outside of the city's center.

3. Locate on the Prairie Trail town square. Here's an idea that floats. The master plan for the 1,000-acre Prairie Trail Development (the old Iowa State University research farm) already has a dot on the map for a potential location for a library on one entire side of the town square. In bidding on being master developer for Prairie Trail, Denny Albaugh committed to a $25 million fund to assist the city in infrastructure costs.

One side of the town square would be enough room for a library in the 80,000-square-foot range, compared to the present 26,000-square-foot facility. As a comparison, the new Des Moines Public Library has about 100,000 square feet. There would be parking in the back.

As Ankeny grows, satellite locations could be established throughout the city to offer services to specific areas.

Any of these three options will be costly.

It shouldn't come as a surprise if the library loses the name Kirkendall, the name of the two brothers who donated farmland to provide initial funding for the library in 1960. That land is now Otter Creek Golf Course.

Keep an eye on the recommendations that will be presented to the city council soon.

[speeder]

3. Locate on the Prairie Trail town square. Here's an idea that floats. The master plan for the 1,000-acre Prairie Trail Development (the old Iowa State University research farm) already has a dot on the map for a potential location for a library on one entire side of the town square. In bidding on being master developer for Prairie Trail, Denny Albaugh committed to a $25 million fund to assist the city in infrastructure costs.

I believe that the Town Square site in Prairie Trail would be an excellent location and a great amenity for marketing the project to future home buyers and businesses looking for high traffic areas. Additionally, the development is somewhat near the center of Ankeny as it is defined by corporate limits and will be well connected to new/existing trails. Also, DMACC would be well connected to the site.

[DMRyan]

Ankeny seems to be poised to catch some of the high tech growth that will pop up between Des Moines and Ames. Ankeny is close enough to ISU and a currently booming metro area to make this a logical half way point to feed off of both places.

It's too bad something like this couldn't be clustered in the newly planned Crosswinds Business area off of the Corporate Woods interchange.

Biotech firm building in Ankeny
By LAURA PIEPER
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

September 26, 2006

A new biotechnology company will soon bring dozens of high-tech jobs to Ankeny.

Earlier this month, Embria Health Sciences broke ground on the east side of Ankeny to build its corporate headquarters. The company, which will be at 2105 S.E. Creekview Drive, east of Tone's Spices and next to Sara Lee, manufactures natural nutritional supplements. Its most recent product is called EpiCor, an all-natural human immune-system booster.

Ankeny leaders have made a concerted effort to attract more biotechnology companies to promote economic development in central Iowa's biotech corridor between Des Moines and Ames. Biotechnology uses living things, such as plant and animal tissue, to create new products.

"Embria's really on the front edge (of biotech) and it's a really cool product," said Mike Coyne, Ankeny's economic development coordinator. "It's great ... they're just delightful folks to work with."

Embria plans a $10 million, 36,000-square-foot Ankeny facility that will be complete by July. Right now, employees work out of a Cedar Rapids office and other locations as well as a small, temporary office in Ankeny. Company President Paul Faganel said he had three employees at the beginning of 2006 and now has eight. He anticipates 18 employees by the end of 2007 and 30 by 2009.

"(Embria) is going to be a tremendous baby and it's going to grow quickly," said John Bloomhall, president and chief operating officer of Diamond V Mills, Embria's parent company.

Ankeny is currently home to biotech companies Monsanto, which focuses on plant genetics, and American Protein Corporation and sister company Proliant, which work with animal proteins to develop health products.

"(Embria) fits well with Monsanto and the health sciences" in Ankeny, City Manager Carl Metzger said.

Coyne said right now the central Iowa biotech market is leaning toward plant- and animal-tissue products and ingredient-based companies.

"We're just beginning to learn how to work through their connections and work with them to explore that industry," he said. "This is going to be a real strength for our area."

Faganel said Embria chose Ankeny as its headquarters for several reasons. Parent company Diamond V Mills is a yeast culture manufacturer for livestock feed that has operated for 63 years out of Cedar Rapids. Faganel said Diamond V Mills needs a new food-certified facility to offer more products and to serve as a second base of operations in case there was a fire or contamination at the Cedar Rapids livestock feed plant.

Company leaders also liked Ankeny's easy access to Iowa State University in Ames and other colleges, making Diamond V Mills and Embria close neighbors to the state's top educational institutions.

Most of all, "this just felt like home," Faganel said.

Ankeny Mayor Steve Van Oort said Embria fits the image city leaders want to promote.

"Embria is a company that really is on the cutting edge of what we're all about" in the 21st century, he said.

The company has a strong relationship with community colleges in the Cedar Rapids area, and plans to work with Des Moines Area Community College as well to help build the company's and Ankeny's employee bases.

"You have some very high-paid individuals that work there," Coyne said of Embria and similar biotech companies. "It's a great opportunity for people with lab tech skills. The community college fits really well into that kind of mix."

The future of the biotech industry in Ankeny will likely continue to focus on companies working with plant and animal products, Coyne said. City leaders are also exploring how to make Ankeny a community that appeals to high-tech employees as a place to live as well as work.

Right now city planners are seeking well-established companies that have solid management and markets. Some of these companies, Coyne said, may come out of the Ames research market, although Ankeny officials are not actively recruiting businesses away from Ames.

"Ankeny is sort of a natural step out of Ames," he said.

One biotech aspect that Coyne does not see Ankeny recruiting for is biofuels.

"It's just not the place for a huge ethanol plant," he said, although some research facilities may be considered.

[speeder]

Ankeny to enlarge, redesign its city golf course
LAURA PIEPER
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

October 3, 2006


Ankeny city council members approved the first steps toward the redevelopment of the city’s public golf course at its Monday meeting.

The changes will include a complete redesign of the course, located near the intersection of Delaware Avenue and 36th Street. More half of the holes will be moved, as well as the driving range and Otter Creek Park.

The city has joined with DRA Properties, which owns land to the north of the current golf course, to redevelop the course on both city and DRA Properties’ land, and to intersperse homes throughout the new course.

City leaders have said the project will give Otter Creek a completely different look.

The council approved a $175,000 engineering contract Monday with Paul Miller Design, Inc. of Northfield, Minn. The firm also will be paid travel and other expenses.

It also approved a letter of understanding between the city and DRA Properties relating to the development of DRA-owned land north of the current course that will become part of the new course.

The city has also filed a request with the Department of Natural Resources to move the Otter Creek Park to another portion of the property.

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

Ankeny to enlarge, redesign its city golf course
LAURA PIEPER
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

October 3, 2006


Ankeny city council members approved the first steps toward the redevelopment of the city’s public golf course at its Monday meeting.

The changes will include a complete redesign of the course, located near the intersection of Delaware Avenue and 36th Street. More half of the holes will be moved, as well as the driving range and Otter Creek Park.

The city has joined with DRA Properties, which owns land to the north of the current golf course, to redevelop the course on both city and DRA Properties’ land, and to intersperse homes throughout the new course.

City leaders have said the project will give Otter Creek a completely different look.

The council approved a $175,000 engineering contract Monday with Paul Miller Design, Inc. of Northfield, Minn. The firm also will be paid travel and other expenses.

It also approved a letter of understanding between the city and DRA Properties relating to the development of DRA-owned land north of the current course that will become part of the new course.

The city has also filed a request with the Department of Natural Resources to move the Otter Creek Park to another portion of the property.

IIRC, isn't the DOT looking at building an interstate on/off ramp in that general area?

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

A couple of Ankeny things:

1 - The Kum and Go on Ankeny Blvd near Walgreens closed up shop last week;

2 - Dirt work has begun near the north Fareway for a tire & auto store; and

3 - Framework is going up on what looks like a strip mall near the NW 18th & Ankeny Blvd intersection.

[butters]

The DOT is indeed looking to add another I-35 interchange at NW 18th St. in Ankeny. However, it is still several years off from construction.

Somewhat related, I cannot believe some of the resistance the City of Ankeny is facing from certain residents regarding the extension of W 1st St. to Hwy 415. This extension has been planned for years, possibly decades, well before any of the housing was built at any rate. Yet a certain group of effected residents are passionate about stopping this extension. What did these residents think that 100' linear swath of nothing (owned by the city) in there backyards was for? I have zero compassion for these people for not researching before purchasing there homes.