DES MOINES – A “transformative project” to reshape the Des Moines skyline was celebrated today in Iowa’s capitol city with a groundbreaking ceremony.
515 Walnut, a 33-story apartment tower, is proceeding with construction after the Des Moines city council approved the project in December. See an artist rendering of the building at top.
“A project on this scale hasn’t occurred in over 30 years,” Mayor Connie Boesen said after the successful vote by the council. “The demand to live and work downtown is strong. This project that will bring great vitality to the downtown core.” She attended the ceremony held Wednesday, along with developer Joe Teeling, and others.
The project, which will be the tallest and largest residential building ever constructed downtown, will occupy the former site of the Kaleidoscope Mall. This project will feature 390 residential units, accounting for nearly one-third of the roughly 1,300 new housing units currently planned for downtown to meet a surging housing demand. In addition to residences, the building plans include amenities such as a coffee shop, bike storage, a dog park, coworking spaces, fitness rooms, and a rooftop deck with a pool.
“This is a rare opportunity for our city,” Deputy City Manager Matt Anderson added. “We don’t get many proposals for buildings of this magnitude; this project will change Des Moines’ skyline and continue adding to the excitement in our city core.”
This project, anticipated to create more than 700 construction jobs, will also reconnect a key portion of the downtown skywalk network, which was removed for the 2023 demolition of the Kaleidoscope Mall.
The project is anticipated to be completed and opened in 2027.