Mayor Frank Cownie | Mayor Frank Cownie official website
Mayor Frank Cownie | Mayor Frank Cownie official website
DES MOINES, IOWA — The Des Moines City Council on Monday will review a new, extensive assessment of the social economy and growth opportunities for the downtown Historic Court District. The Responsible Hospitality Institute (RHI) prepared the report on behalf of the Polk County Board of Supervisors, Operation Downtown and the City of Des Moines and will present it during a Council work session at 7:30 a.m. Monday, May 8 in City Hall.
Twelve months in the making, the RHI study included diverse community input from nearly 100 people through multiple meetings, roundtable discussions and interviews. The report analyzed Des Moines’ Court Avenue District using six core measures of a sociable city: social venues, public space, public safety, venue safety, quality of life and mobility.
“This is the most comprehensive assessment ever of Court Avenue and delivers a varied perspective of the challenges and opportunities for the area,” said Mayor Frank Cownie. “The RHI report provides a detailed look at how the entertainment district evolved over the years and where it might be strengthened to regain its vibrancy as one of the metro’s leading entertainment areas.”
The City, Polk County and Operation Downtown coordinated and funded the $80,000 RHI study that recommends this 15-Point Action Plan:
- Create a Team Approach to Public Safety at Night
- Reference Existing Studies to Understand and Communicate Economic Impact
- Create a Local Business Registry
- Improve Systems of Review for Alcohol Service Businesses
- Assign a Night Manager Dedicated to the Social Economy
- Initiate Collaboration Between Iowa Alcohol Board and Municipal Stakeholders
- Establish Security Standards for Venues with Alcohol Licenses
- Create a Sexual Violence Prevention Program for Social Venues
- Enhance Advocacy of Downtown Neighborhood Association
- Connect Diverse Creative Class with Funding for DEI Initiatives
- Create a Rideshare Hub for Closing Time Pick-Up
- Address Nighttime Challenges with Parking Lots
- Enhance Skywalk Between Court Avenue and Iowa Events Center
- Revive a Nightlife Association with Broadened Scope
- Activate the Riverwalk Hub for Outdoor Recreation and Events
Deputy City Manager Matt Anderson said City Council members will review the report, determine which recommendations to consider and how they could be implemented.
“Perhaps the most worthwhile aspect of this study is that it brought the Court Avenue community together to discuss solutions and opportunities,” Anderson said. “Based on the wide range of input, the recommendations in the RHI report demonstrate the need for a multi-faceted approach to enhancing Court Avenue that goes beyond City Hall and includes business owners, downtown residents, event planners and our community partners.”
After an increase in violence and safety concerns in recent years, RHI was commissioned last summer to conduct the Court Avenue assessment and provide recommendations that could facilitate safe and vibrant growth in downtown Des Moines’ social economy.
The RHI study follows changes in protocols for the Court Avenue District a year ago that included additional security cameras, increased exterior lighting in parking lots and alleys and traffic/parking restrictions when the bars closed.
In 2022, a Zoning Board of Adjustment decision to end sales of alcohol after midnight in the bars and nightclubs at Court Center LLC made an immediate impact to public safety in the Court Avenue area. Since that ruling, Des Moines Police report a noticeable decline in incidents and police calls to that area (42 calls for service in 1Q 2022 compared to nine in 1Q 2023 – a 78% reduction).
Polk County Supervisor Angela Connolly said, “a vibrant and safe Court Avenue is essential for the vitality of our downtown neighborhoods and Polk County has invested substantially in the Iowa Events Center and in numerous Polk County owned buildings on Court Avenue, so we look forward to continuing to partner with the City of Des Moines on creating a safe entertainment district.”
Polk County Supervisor Tom Hockensmith said, “over the years we have partnered with the City of Des Moines and business owners to implement a number of safety measures and are excited to have additional recommendations from RHI, they have done tremendous work in getting to know our city and help us identify solutions to issues that Court Avenue and entertainment districts in growing communities across the country are experiencing.”
The RHI report, Sociable City Assessment for Des Moines, may be reviewed here._________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Contact
Al Setka Chief Communications Officer, City Manager’s Office
(515) 283-4057
About the City of Des Moines
The City of Des Moines is Iowa’s capital city and our 17 departments serve more than 214,000 residents and 50 neighborhood associations. Des Moines is a leader in sustainability and provides its residents with vibrant neighborhoods, an alive and active downtown, and abundant leisure opportunities.
Des Moines continuously improves neighborhoods, public safety and quality of life by offering exceptional city services and reliable infrastructure while fostering an involved and compassionate community for all who visit and live in Des Moines. Visit DSM.city, Facebook and Twitter for more information.
About the Responsible Hospitality Institute
The Responsible Hospitality Institute (RHI) brings decades of experience of nightlife and social economy management. A private non-profit organization founded in 1983, RHI is the leading source for events, resources and consultation services. We help cities plan safe and inclusive places to socialize by convening diverse stakeholders to achieve a common vision.
Original source can be found here.
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