Des Moines Business Record
09-29-07
Another clash in the Battle of Beaverdale
BY JIM POLLOCK
A large screen stands behind the Des Moines City Council table, and at one point
during last week's meeting, Councilwoman Chris Hensley and Mayor Frank
Cownie ducked behind it to confer. When they emerged, the mayor laid out some
guidelines about how much more speechifying would be allowed. It looked as if
somebody had said to somebody, "Let's wrap this thing up."
But the new rules never really caught on. Cownie, gentleman that he is, kept
allowing just one more person to speak about Beaverdale development until
most of the room's oxygen was gone.
Toward the end, the mayor was even checking the record to make sure an equal
number of "for" and "against" speakers had been heard.
Mix hard feelings with Iowa courtesy and you wind up with a late dinner.
Of course, a couple of hours of debate constitutes a minor skirmish in the war
over the Rice Elementary School site. Not since Gen. George Custer's final
afternoon has such an intense struggle raged over such a small patch of grass.
By last week, the process was supposed to be down to "updates" about a project
that's ready to come out of the gate. Not so fast, said the opposition.
Paul Knupp Jr., a recent candidate for the Des Moines Independent Community
School District board, lashed out at the whole concept of tax-increment financing.
Quoting a recent Iowa State University study, Knupp said the school district is
losing $83 million over 10 years because of TIFs and asked the council to refuse
to designate any more TIF districts in Des Moines.
Not likely. Gray's Lake would have to magically fill with $100 bills before our
leaders would vow to TIF no more forever.
Richard Jewett said that 67 percent of Beaverdale residents once said in a
survey that they didn't want the site developed. Then he pointed out that the
latest plan includes a retention area that will hold several feet of water after
heavy rains, with nothing to keep little kids out.
These seemed to be excellent points. But he got no response.
Others argued that nobody would live in rowhouses a few feet from Beaver
Avenue if they could afford to live elsewhere, that the plan calls for two-story
structures where they're supposed to be one and a half, and so forth.
Supporters of the plan praised the design changes that have been made in the
past few months; they lauded the process that took place; they saw the bright
side of TIF.
But all of this arguing was just for the record, because big, steel development
wheels are turning.
The sad thing is, 10 years from now, they'll still be arguing about it on the streets
of Beaverdale.
And even 20 years from now, some people will tell their children: "I'll never shop
there; my parents never did."
But at some point, no one will question the presence of retail and residential
buildings at Beaver and Adams avenues. Stick around for that, if you have 30
years to spare.
Develop, don't develop, whatever. The fact no one can deny is that times, and
neighborhoods, change. With all the talk about what a pleasant, stable area
Beaverdale is, one resident pointed out that it's losing population, noting that
those charming Beaverdale brick houses are one-size-fits-all. They're nice to look
at, but they don't suit every family configuration.
This might be pure coincidence, but according to the Polk County assessor's
Web site, Paul Knupp Jr. is the sixth owner of the house at 1804 44th St. since
1993.
Councilman Chris Coleman gave a nice speech before the inevitable 7-0 vote to
keep the project moving, talking about his fond memories of the way Beaverdale
used to be. His message: I wish it were still that way, but it will never be that way
again.
Councilman Mike Kiernan offered an apt quotation, although he can't remember
who said it: "Iowans like to think of themselves as progressive; they just don't like
change."
The council voted to set a TIF hearing date of Nov. 19. More heartfelt speeches
are forecast. They won't affect the outcome.
Progress. What a grind.