NW Des Moines/Merle Hay Road

[DMRyan]

More small news for the Merle Hay corridor, the McDonald's Restaurant (not the one closest to the mall, but further north) is being torn down and reconstructed.

Still surprised to see no movement on Buffalo Wild Wings, despite the "coming soon" sign. Hopefully this is the year that the new redevelopments at the corner of Douglas and Merle Hay get going, but it's naturally all dependent on how pre-leasing activity goes. There seems to be some dollars flowing again with chain restaurant expansions, including some of the new to the market joints undergoing rapid expansion like Smashburger.

[nathanch]

The Buffalo Wild Wings "coming soon" sign is up. There is no sign of any equipment in place yet to demonlish the existing building.

As of yesterday (March 2nd), I noticed the building has been leveled to make way for Buffalo Wild Wings.

[MrMafia]

Pic? I am still a bit confused where this sign/local is...

[dogbo]

This is right off of Merle Hay...just past the Dahl's as you're heading north. Once BWW is built, Famous Dave's will be the next building to the north.

IMO, this is a very positive development for a cooridor of the metro that could easily go the wrong way without further current development/attention.

[dogbo]

A little MH Road news...

BWW is in the framing stage. I assume this will open by mid-summer.

Hugh's Jungle Room on Douglas (the old Pizza Hut) is moving to the old Denny's/Red Rock spot that is connected to the Quality Inn located near the on-ramp to I-35/80 heading east off of Merle Hay Road.

The latter related new's tip is courtesy of our friend Joanne at the Register:

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/ ... tail-news/

[DMRyan]

I see that the Tuffy Automotive next to Hugh's Jungle Room on Douglas and Merle Hay has closed down, which can now hopefully be incorporated into a larger retail center development. Previously, it was slated to remain an auto repair place and untouched by the plans. This will be a nice way to entirely clean up an older commercial corner if it can be worked in to the development plans.

There continues to be leasing interest in the former Matress/furniture store on the other side of Douglas Avenue and Merle Hay. If all goes through, it's no retail choice that will get anybody excited, but it should hopefully clean up the building and put it back into use.

[bbnskb]

Drove down Merle Hay to Douglas to 86th last night for the first time in a couple of months.

Boy, have things changed. Buffalo Wild Wings is up, the old Pizza Hut/Jungle Room is gone (with an excavator next to the Tuffy's), the old Firestone is gone, that crappy old Metro Buffet is gone with a Casey's going up.

Wish I had a camera 6 months ago to take before / after pictures.

Honestly, it is about damn time that all of this happens to that area. It is starting to look nice and ushering in a renaissance of sorts.

BB

[Mastermind]

What Casey's are you referring too, the one across from Popeye's?

[DMRyan]

There's a new one being built south of Merle Hay Mall on Douglas and 61st Street. It's on the site of the former Garcia's restaurant.

[dsmLA]

The Casey's is already framed up and moving quickly.

Too bad we sold our house and leaving the neighborhood. It is certainly making a huge comeback.

[Young DSM Social Club]

Good time to move back!

I think Merle Hay has done a good job ... just wish they'd do something about ending pole signs and get some of those power lines buried.

[Ex-Chicago]

According to the Business Record, the developer is having a hard time finding tenants, and it might be a while until we see anything happen at the intersection of Merle Hay and Douglas.

http://www.businessrecord.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=43&ArticleID=10377

[Mastermind]

This is so frustrating considering the density of the area.

[Mastermind]

After reading the article, it says he needs one more tenant to start construction on both buildings. Not too bad after all, considering alot of developments have been opened recently with no tenants.

It sounds like this Eychaner guy is really committed to bring quality tenants to the develompment.

In addition to the economic downturn, which has made financing retail development projects more difficult, Eychaner said the type of users allowed to locate in the neighborhood may affect his ability to attract tenants.

He was referring to a recent application by Pawn America Iowa LLC, which had asked the city of Des Moines to grant partial relief from a temporary moratorium on the establishment and relocation of pawnshops.

The Des Moines City Council enacted the moratorium on May 17.

"If the city is committed to having a vibrant retail area around the mall," Eychaner said, "you have to limit it to businesses that contribute positively to that area and attract national tenants."

Pawn America was vying for the relief in order to locate a pawnshop at 5730 Douglas Ave., the former site of a Furniture Row store located across the street from two of Eychaner's properties.

The company withdrew its request prior to Monday's council meeting.

[DMRyan]

This is a no brainer, but I would imagine he's luring some interest from national chains, perhaps a few that may be new to the market. Things are starting to open up when it comes to restaurant expansions nationwide, so this may bode well to get this off the ground a little sooner. With that said, there are still a lot of commercial space vacancies on Merle Hay Road. Even Johnston suffers from a little of this too.

[Mastermind]

As ive mentioned in the johnston thread, there is no movement on Merle Hay what-so-ever. Jimmy Johns replacing Starbucks and the Kum & Go to the north is the biggest things i can remember.

[dogbo]

Drove by the new Buffalo Wild Wings (scheduled to open tomorrow) and appears to be a half dozen or so people already lined up at the door.

[wmjindsm]

Drove by the new Buffalo Wild Wings (scheduled to open tomorrow) and appears to be a half dozen or so people already lined up at the door.

I guess the first people to come in get free wings for a year. I'll love all those wings but don't know if I'd stay out there all night for them.

[dogbo]

When I drove by around 3:30, there were a lot more people and they were using police-type tape to help keep some order to the line. According to the Register article, the first 100 get free wings for a year. I would guess I saw at least 100 in line at 3:30. Most appeared to be college-age.

[Mastermind]

The McDonalds at 4825 Merle Hay just off 80/35 will be demolished and a new on will be built on the site.

[DMRyan]

Sounds like the retail development at the NE corner of Douglas and Merle Hay has landed three tenants with a possible fourth signing a letter of intent. This should hopefully move things along far enough to start construction of the place soon. This will be a 5 commercial bay retail center.

[DMRyan]

Here are the latest renderings for the Shops at Merle Hay retail project. I like how they're kind of mirroring the various facade treatments on the east side of Merle Hay Mall.

Courtesy of Simonson & Associates:

[dogbo]

Bob Brown's former Izuzo(sp?) dealership that was recently just their used car lot, is empty. Right next store Stiver's has closed their store down (also, must recently just their used cars) and moved everything now to their location in Waukee. Pretty big hole is suddenly opened up on Merle Hay RD, but I don't see any "for lease" signs on either property.

[Mastermind]

Nearly every major intersection from Hickman/Merle Hay to 80/35 has a redevelopment opportunity. The Shops at Merle Hay, accross the street to the south is Furniture Row Warehouse and a former Hardees. On the Southwest corner there are 2 open bays in the strip mall that house Verizon. Moving South, there is the former Car title loan place on Hickmand and Merle Hay and a former gas station on the NE corner. In additon, all the lots that have moved out.

Doe anyone know if there is a master plan for this area, and if not should we be tring to bring more attention the the need for a comprehensive plan?

[stfudonny]

A good chunk of the properties in question(near MH and Douglas) are owned by Eychaner Properties. At one point all 3 of the 4 corners had some sort of property used by them(incl Movies to Go now Verizon on the SW corner). Probably a good question for them...

[wmjindsm]

Add another Chinese Buffet to the metro, although this replaces one that had closed. It will be in Haymarket Square on Merle Hay Road. Although I think there are plenty Chinese Buffets in the metro, this one would be close to where I live so I hope it's good.

From Joanne Boeckman of the Register:

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/ ... -hay-road/

[DMRyan]

Another new strip center is now proposed for the former location of the Furniture Row store on the SE corner of Merle Hay Road and Douglas Avenue. No word on tenants yet, but the developers must have something in hand if they're going this far.

It must be tough getting the last few tenants needed to sign on and get enough pre-leases to get the strip center just north of here to actually get built.

[wmjindsm]

Another new strip center is now proposed for the former location of the Furniture Row store on the SE corner of Merle Hay Road and Douglas Avenue. No word on tenants yet, but the developers must have something in hand if they're going this far.

I thought they were going to just spilt the building up into smaller stores but no, the building is gone - torn down this week. So now two empty corners and another half a block down. Hopefully we will see action this summer.

[sprout]

Word is that ATT (or a division of ATT) bought the building and is going to put a "Super Store" there to go head to head with the Verizon store across the street.

[dogbo]

Assume you mean AT&T?