Des Moines website

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eomaha
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Des Moines website

Post by eomaha »

I'm pleased to announce we'll be sharing disk space with a new Des Moines website to be created by Ryan (DMRyan) and Josh ('formerOmahan' at the chamber website). When it comes active... it will reside at absolutedsm.com . Of course we'll have to be patient as this web administration stuff will take some time for these guys to get their arms around... but I'm sure we can look forward to all sorts of cool photos/news when it comes up to speed (Ryan, you'll be sure to have to get in on the 'City Development Network' too).
DMRyan
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Post by DMRyan »

Thanks again Jeff!

We hope to have the rough framework of the site up by the end of July, when we'll certainly keep everyone posted on when we'll officially launch this thing.

Our site will be much like other city developments websites. It will feature an interactive forum, development updates and eventually a photo gallery that will cover the environs of the Des Moines metro area and beyond.

Once the site is in decent shape to launch, we'll no doubt become apart of the City Development Network as well. Look for more annoucements soon!
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Post by DTO Luv »

Jeff,

Just make sure the Omaha site always looks better :wink:
I can't wait to see what it looks like.

DMRyan,

I might actually try to make it to Des Moines tis summer. What are the must sees.
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Post by Ingersoll1978 »

Hello Everyone!

DMRyan and I are very excited to bring a comprehensive development website about Des Moines! We will start with a forum and then move towards getting all the information about recent, current, and future development in the Des Moines metro online asap. Later, we will add historic photos featuring Des Moines and include major buildings in other Iowa cities. Thanks again Jeff for your help!
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Post by Ingersoll1978 »

To DTO Luv---

Some of the things to see in DSM would be The Iowa State Capitol, Downtown, Des Moines Arts Center, Salisbury House, Botanical Center, & the Iowa Historical Museum. You should try and go during the State Fair. Jordan Creek Town Center opens on Aug 4th. I can't wait to get back and see that! It should be really cool! If you want to see more attractions...go to http://www.seedesmoines.com
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Post by richNcincy »

I can't wait to check it out once its online.
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guy4omaha
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Congrats and Good Luck

Post by guy4omaha »

Josh and Ryan,

Good for you and for Des Moines in starting your website. I can't wait to see it. Although Omaha will always be my favorite town (just can get past the hometown sentiment), I really like Des Moines. In fact, to the extent of sometimes being jealous. So I look forward to your site and some fantastic pictures.
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guy4omaha
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What if Omaha had what Des Moines or Lincoln had?

Post by guy4omaha »

I have often marveled at Des Moines' downtown and momentum for a city its size. It has some very powerful advantages in being at the geographic center of Iowa and also the seat of state government.

Lincoln also benefits from being the seat of state government and also the flagship of the university.

Not that I would want to trade Omaha's advantages for either of these cities, I can't help but imagine what Omaha would be like if it also had state government, the university and was also centrally located like Des Moines is.

On the central location item, I am referring to the fact that when major events are held in Iowa, they are most often held in Des Moines, due in part, to the convenience of its central location. I believe there was a post a while back about the new mall in Des Moines and some were questioning whether that metro could support another mall. Considering how big the radius of the metro's drawing power is in Iowa, I believe it will support the mall. Another thing that I know was true for Des Moines, at least as of the late '90s, is that it is regarded as a significantly larger TV market than Omaha. Again this is due to the larger Iowa population centered around it. To draw another analogy, think how much easier developing and supporting downtown Omaha would be if it were in the center of the city instead of on its eastern edge.
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Re: What if Omaha had what Des Moines or Lincoln had?

Post by DTO Luv »

guy4omaha wrote:I have often marveled at Des Moines' downtown and momentum for a city its size. It has some very powerful advantages in being at the geographic center of Iowa and also the seat of state government.

Lincoln also benefits from being the seat of state government and also the flagship of the university.

Not that I would want to trade Omaha's advantages for either of these cities, I can't help but imagine what Omaha would be like if it also had state government, the university and was also centrally located like Des Moines is.

On the central location item, I am referring to the fact that when major events are held in Iowa, they are most often held in Des Moines, due in part, to the convenience of its central location. I believe there was a post a while back about the new mall in Des Moines and some were questioning whether that metro could support another mall. Considering how big the radius of the metro's drawing power is in Iowa, I believe it will support the mall. Another thing that I know was true for Des Moines, at least as of the late '90s, is that it is regarded as a significantly larger TV market than Omaha. Again this is due to the larger Iowa population centered around it. To draw another analogy, think how much easier developing and supporting downtown Omaha would be if it were in the center of the city instead of on its eastern edge.

Central location is one of DM's pluses. Their rural Iowans aren't scared to death of DM like rural Nebraskans are of Omaha. Lincoln could be good for drawing events but it is to close to Omaha to compete for events. DM doesn't have the "dangerous" image Omaha has. When was the last itme anyone ever said,"Don't go to DT DM at night." But Omaha? Exactly. I think DM is more inviting since it is not the big city Omaha is(no offenst to DM).

If Omaha was the capitol out DT skyline would be lost. Their is a heighth limit in Lincoln. Nothing taller than the capital, so goodbye Woodmen, First National, and whatever else we could one day have. UNO is a better school than UNL but they have a larger enrollment. Omaha is tons more cosmo than Lincoln and could attract young people from other large cities that Lincoln couldn't. UNO will soon be the jewel of the University system. And I would shoot myself in the head if Omaha was home to the cornhuskers. :twisted: I hate that team.

I think we should focus on drawing people from DM instead of Lincoln. We will always be there for Lincoln, but we should vie for the Iowans between Omaha and Des Moines.
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

DTO - no need now to compare Omaha with Lincoln
or UNO with UNL for that matter, after all everyone knows
that Creighton is a much better school than either of those.


_____________

Coyote

BA Creighton University 8)
MA St. John's University
DTO Luv
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Post by DTO Luv »

Yeah I know Crieghton is better than both schools and I like CU better than UNO. But I would want to see UNO be the largest school in the University of Nebraska since it is in by far the biggest city.

When will this Des Moines site be up and running?
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Post by DMRyan »

Hopefully by the end of July/early August. We're pretty early on in the process right now, and I'm learning all of this as I go along.
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Post by DTO Luv »

Will it be part of the CDN like kcskyscrapers.com or not?
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Post by eomaha »

I'm sure it will be. Note... the CDN is 'hosted' by kcskyscrapers.com... and obviously has a midwestern slant at this point.
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Post by DMRyan »

Yes, it will defintely be a part of the CDN. The CDN should consider expanding boundaries a little bit. Denver, Dallas and Richmond, VA have great development sites and OKC used to have one as well.

BTW, who is in charge of that CDN St. Louis site? That thing is defintely a very noticeable curve behind the rest. You would think with as many STL boosters as there are on the various city forums, they would have a much better showing.
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Post by eomaha »

I noticed that as well.
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Post by eomaha »

Ryan has begun adding updates on some lesser known projects around the Des Moines metro/Iowa in general... through the absoluteDSM website forum (the site currently under construction).

http://www.absolutedsm.com/forum
jays25ks
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Post by jays25ks »

Ryan nice job so far. I will look forward to when the rest of the site is complete.
DMRyan
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Post by DMRyan »

Thank you.

The site is really progressing nicely for having only worked on it for a week now. We (Josh and myself) still plan on officially launching a rough version of the site towards the end of the month.

We need a lot more pictures of Des Moines though to fill the galleries. I just realized that we might have more photos collected of other Iowa cities than we do for Des Moines--which is fine because this site will focus on all cities in Iowa, even though the emphasis will be on DSM.
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Post by jsheets »

Just want to say that it will be nice to see a good Des Moines development website. I have grown to really like eomaha in the past couple of months, and now check it daily, and hope that absolute DSM can be the same. I'm in Des Moines often to visit family, and what you have is already giving me a better impression of DSM as an urban town instead of the just the western suburbs that I visit.

I went out downtown once about 4 years ago and didn't find much of a nightlife. The Court Brewery was very nice but then we tried a cheezy overpriced dance club and haven't gone back downtown since. You'll have to add a section on the downtown DSM restaurant/bar scene, because I'm curious how it has shaped up to be. I always liked the Umbrella sculpture downtown too.

Great start to your site!
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Post by DMRyan »

jsheets,

one of the biggest downfalls of DSM is the lack of vibrant downtown entertainment district. What is happening is the spreading of pockets of vitality all over downtown instead. There's still the cheesy clubs on Court Avenue, but there are some absolute ecclectic jewels down on Court Avenue as well.
There's a trendy smoke-free "house music" lounge called the Lift, Royal Mile British Pub with a dutch themed pub directly above it, the Hessen House German Beer Hall and the Vaudeville Mews; a theater booking constant live acts and serving alcohol. With the exception of one bar in the burbs, all of DSM's gay nightlife scene is downtown--including the best big city club experience in the city. Be sure to check out the budding East Village district at the footsteps of the capital. While not a totally thriving street life exists there yet, it's about to become the new arts/funky shops district that Court Avenue was supposed to be, but never emerged.

The meatmarket clubs playing top 40 |expletive| still reign king, and there's no shortage of those in the burbs. I think the opening of the new riverfront and the Iowa Events Center will do wonders to improve the nightlife downtown.

There are several new restaurants in the process of opening now and some very popular restaurants already in business downtown. If you visit again and need recommendations, feel free to email me.

And rest assured, absoluteDSM will focus more on the urban areas of Des Moines. I'm all for promoting metro-wide regionalism and everyone is excited about Jordan Creek Town Center, but the bottom line is that I grew up in DES MOINES proper and that's what we intend to show you.
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