Principal Riverwalk

[Ingersoll1978]

Has anyone noticed the new decorative lights installed at the Hansen Triangle (2nd/Grand)? Very cool. We'll have to go get a pic.

[Better Life dude]

Hansen Triangle looks like it's almost completed. With the addition of sod in the next week or so (I assume they'll use sod) that should do it, eh? Then next year, hopefully the pedestrian way will be widened northward along Second Avenue from Hansen Triangle up to the new pedestrian bridge by Wells Fargo Arena and get some asphalt - even temporary asphalt - south to Principal Park. Then it becomes a biking/walking thoroughfare.

[wmjindsm]

Sod and plants went in this morning. I see the bronze statue is in too(Quantum Leaf). I hear there is a dedication tomorrow (Tuesday).

[Ingersoll1978]

A few shots of the Hansen Triangle...

More are available on the Principal Riverwalk Project Page.

From 2nd/Grand:


Closer view of lights looking north up 2nd:


This is the sculpture...and it is a fountain. I didn't realize that. Water will fill the interior and flow out from the leaf (very cool). If you notice the "No Wading" sign, I'm assuming there will be a pool of water underneath of it...and it has lights on the ground to illuminate it:


A view to the west from Grand:


Pathway and landscaping:


The Hansen Triangle turned out really nice. Much better than what I had expected.

Cranes are up at the site of the new pedestrian bridge...

[Ingersoll1978]

WHO just did a story on the new fountain sculpture...and wow. It looks really awesome. The water line is just short of where it says "No Wading".

[dogbo]

I drove by today. What a nice addition! Also, what a a nice amenity (and selling point) to the new Brownstones across the street.

I did find it curious that the graphic in the DSM Register story today still shows the main riverwalk path going between the river and the MidAmerican substation. I think it is clear from the pathway that goes through the Hansen Triangle that they plan to route the main path between 2nd Ave and the substation (not the substation and the river).

http://www.dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... S/71015041

[DMRyan]

I went to the dedication ceremony for this today and got a first hand look at the new park. It's a pretty first class effort. There's still some work to do on the side near the river, but the workers did a great job of getting this finished up in time.

I'm still amazed at how for months, it seemed like there was just dirt being pushed around, and then we have a complete park within a few short weeks.

This park doesn't seem like one that will be used for many activities based on the layout, but will be a spot to relax and watch the city go by on 2nd and Grand. Couple this with future YMCA improvements and hopefully more screening on the Mid-American facility there, and I'd say this corner is done.

Just a minor gripe about streetscape downtown, but the new black light poles replacing the old cobraheads were installed here. What does it take to get the job finished up downtown and replace the rest of the light poles, particularly across the river bridges?

[rasmeth]

If the new pedestrian bridge was made as a single lane bridge without an arch in the sky it would look better, and it would probably save us enough money to build a second pedestrian bridge over the Des Moines or Racoon somewhere else in downtown.

[dogbo]

Sure it would save money, but look better????

[Better Life dude]

If the new pedestrian bridge was made as a single lane bridge without an arch in the sky it would look better, and it would probably save us enough money to build a second pedestrian bridge over the Des Moines or Racoon somewhere else in downtown.

rasmeth: I would disagree about looking better. It may not be that much cheaper to build, either. Having one side of the arch bridge for the bicycles and one side for the pedestrians seems like a great idea: it will cut down on the pedestrians getting run over.

There are currently three other pedestrian/bicycle only bridges downtown crossing the Des Moines & Racoon Rivers: The red railroad trestle bridge, the bridge outside Principal stadium and another trestle bridge near Principal Park to take the Meredith trail to Gray's Lake. When all is done, four of these bridges sounds like enough.

[DMRyan]

I'm no construction engineer, but I overheard a conversation at the Hansen Triangle dedication about a temporary bridge having to be built across the river to allow workers access all the way across the river.

This thing is going to be incredibly neat to watch being built.

[hawk61401]

Shouldn't construction begin in a few weeks on the Court Ave Plaza pictured below? The Des Moines Arts Festival will be in the Western Gateway because of construction on the riverwalk. If it's not this project, I don't see what other project would be in the vicinity of the bridges that would interfere with the festival.

photo courtesy of principal.com

[Better Life dude]

hawk61401: What you're saying makes sense. For they 2009 Arts Festival to be back on the river, hopefully construction would start soon for the west bank of the river between Grand and Court Ave. Boy, that would be nice to see.

[DMRyan]

The west side of the riverfront north of red ped bridge is an embarrassment right now. I can only hope that all the strings get pulled together to have at least the west promenade start construction yet this year.

Otherwise, you're right. We may be looking at the Arts Festival at Waterworks Park for a year or two.

[hawk61401]

We may be looking at the Arts Festival at Waterworks Park for a year or two.

What's going on? Lack of leadership, momentum, money? Everyone was patting themselves on the back and crowing about the success of the riverwalk.

[dogbo]

I have zero interest in going to the Art Festival if it is held in Waterworks Park. I really hope it never comes to that.

[DMRyan]

I wonder how much the floods have thrown off the schedule of the pedestrian bridge. Work has come to a standstill on the project for weeks now having to secure and restore a construction site through a mini local disaster.

[Philby]

Luckily they were already done with any concrete pouring they needed to do IN the river, so once they get their site back they'll be able to start working immediately.

[Better Life dude]

I have no inside knowledge of this project, but it looks reasonable that the arch could be hoisted yet this summer and the next year or so after that get the decking in place and the approaches built. So I'd say later part of 2009 you could ride your bike across it.
You can pardon the builders for acts of God and nature.
I wonder what's up with the River Walk sections on the west bank between Court Ave. and Walnut Street? I can understand putting off work in front of the YMCA and the old library pending construction. Well barely I can stand it.

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

I wonder how much the floods have thrown off the schedule of the pedestrian bridge. Work has come to a standstill on the project for weeks now having to secure and restore a construction site through a mini local disaster.

Hopefully all of the components that make up the River Walk survived with no major damage.

[DMRyan]

After taking a month off for flooding, construction is going gangbusters now on getting the framework up to support the new pedestrian bridge. Hopefully the contractors will move at a quicker speed to make up for the delays.

[couch]

The west side of the riverfront north of red ped bridge is an embarrassment right now.

That's true.

At the SW corner of Court and Water:
Does anyone know the reason behind the retaining wall blocking the riverwalk? It appears to my untrained eye that the bike path continues under the temporary looking retaining wall and mound of dirt. Does that mean it was complete at one point? Was this a flood control measure?

However, the stretch south of the red ped bridge to Principal Park is very nice despite flooding. Lights, grass, and a peaceful river. It would make a great venue for a little carnival or something. It's a shame it is so difficult to get to.

Also, I thought the red trestle bridge was complete. Is access blocked because of the flooding?

[DMRyan]

They had to close off the red ped bridge until they can clean out all the tree limbs and parts from the deck and inspect it for safety reasons.

Rest assured, that rusty metal shoring is temporary. I really hope the project planners stick the additional $3 or $4 million they got from the feds this year into completing this segment near Court Avenue.

[DMRyan]

Excuse the terrible photo, as daylight was getting away from me tonight but here's the scaffolding work continuing to go up for the ped bridge. Notice how high the river is getting again...

[couch]

When can we get rid of those low head dams at Center and Scott?

[Mastermind]

It is in the 5 year plan: Establishing the Adventure Recreation Park (Whitewater Course and Skate Park)and "safing" existing dams to allow for water recreation

[DMRyan]

Plans seem tobe moving right along for a large regional skatepark (in the article below, it says the largest in the country) proposed for the southern riverfront. The $4 million dollar, 65,000 sq. ft. park is under design right now with plans slated to be released later this summer. Imagine an extreme sports park with the skate park as the hub, a white water course, and an adventure recreation center downtown like the recent announcement in Council Bluffs--all located on the downtown riverfront someday.

From the Register:

Regional skate park plan awaits OK for site
By CLAIRE HAWS • community@dmreg.com • July 29, 2008

A Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department committee working to create new skating opportunities in the city is eager for construction of a regional facility. At the same time, city crews are hustling to complete a smaller skate park on the east side that has fallen behind because of uncooperative spring and summer weather.

The committee's effort at a regional park grew out of work four years ago by the nonprofit group AMOS - A Metropolitan Organizing Strategy - to increase youth recreation opportunities.

The biggest project under consideration is a 65,000 square-foot regional skate park near downtown Des Moines. Planners say it would be the biggest in the country.

"It would really be a destination park for skaters from around the country," said Jan Hill, who serves on the city committee and is the mother of an avid skateboarder.

Hill said organizers are anticipating receiving approval this summer for the proposed site near Southeast Sixth Street and Scott Avenue.

Hill, who lives on the west side, estimated it would cost $4 million to construct the skate park, with the city committed to providing $500,000. Fundraising appeals to skate equipment companies, professional skateboarders and other businesses, as well as grants and donations, would cover the rest of the construction costs. Subsect Skate Shop in Urbandale already is collecting contributions.

The park's designer, Site Design Group of Carlsbad, Calif., is one of the top skate park design firms in the country, committee members said. A conceptual design is expected yet this summer.

Initial plans call for half of the park to be used for "transition skating," including bowls and vertical ramps for advanced skaters. The other half would be designed for "street skating," with ledges, stairs and railings.

Hill said the hope is that construction could start in spring 2009, and be done within a year.

"The children of Des Moines and Iowa really deserve a wonderful skate park," she said.

Hill said a regional skate park will attract people from out of the area who are looking for new skating venues. She said she is proof that parents will travel the country with their skating children to visit skate parks on vacations.

"Skaters and their parents really will come and visit great parks," said Hill, who has taken her son and his friends on several trips across the country to skate at new parks.

Hill said that the local skateboarding population is large, but often isn't very visible to the public.

"We're trying to create a place where they could go and gather, and that would be a quality skate park," Hill said.

Scott Cleland, a Roosevelt High School student who skates and competed in a national event in California this summer before touring with Death Wish Skateboards, said a regional park in Des Moines would be a popular attraction and would keep many skaters from using property that has enticing features but is not designed for skating.

"It'd make everyone a lot happier - skateboarders and probably the city," Cleland said. "It would be used, if they built it."

The regional skate park is only one part of Des Moines' efforts to create more skating spaces. There are also efforts under way to establish more local skate zones within existing city parks.

The first Parks and Recreation Department skate park was set to open July 1 at the Four Mile Community Center, 3711 Easton Blvd., but has been postponed indefinitely due to rain and flooding that delayed construction.

The 6,000 square-foot facility will be open to skateboarders and in-line skaters from 6 a.m. until sunset daily. A skate park webcam showing live shots of the park via the Internet also is planned.

Hill said city officials also plan to create a skate park at Tower Park, 4900 Hickman Road, and possibly at Ewing Park, 5300 Indianola Road.

[Des Moineser]

Very, very good to hear.

[vansicek]

This may seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask it anyways. Has anyone noticed that the new pedestrian bridge does not look like the renderings at all? The latest renderings showed a huge arch as the main support. If you look at it right now it has large columns sticking into the air instead. Did I just miss something or what?

[Ingersoll1978]

This may seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask it anyways. Has anyone noticed that the new pedestrian bridge does not look like the renderings at all? The latest renderings showed a huge arch as the main support. If you look at it right now it has large columns sticking into the air instead. Did I just miss something or what?

I believe those are the supports that are going to be used to place the arches.

Here is a pic that I took yesterday: