Johnston Economic Development Corporation

The City of Johnston is moving forward with efforts to create a water trail access point on Beaver Creek on 70th Ave. The City Council recently approved an agreement with ISG to to provide full design and construction administration services for the parking lot, trail, and cast-in-place launch project along NW 70th Avenue. The firm has previously been involved with the preliminary design and engineering of the entire Beaver Creek Water Trail.  Download the agreement with ISG for more information about the scope of work.

For more information about the Beaver Creek water trail project, view the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization report: “A vision For Beaver Creek“.

A retail companion to the latest developments in the Adam Ridge will be considered by the City of Johnston. Site Plans and a Preliminary Plat for Adam Ridge Commercial Plat 1 have been presented to the City. The property is located south of NW 62nd Avenue and east of NW 103rd Street.

The plan would subdivide a 5 acre area for the development of an 8,394 square foot retail/restaurant building. The new building would be located just west of the Casey’s which is positioned on the SW corner of the NW 62nd Avenue and NW 100th Street intersection.

The Johnston City Council recently approved a final plat for NW Beaver Office Park. The property is located north of Johnston Drive and east of NW Beaver Drive including 5561, 5455, and 5359 NW Beaver Drive. The plan is to subdivide the 25 acres east of NW Beaver Drive into 6 lots, enabling further development of the five lots immediately adjacent to NW Beaver Dr. (east). More information is provided in the Johnston staff report.

Site plans and a final plat for the Shoppes at Roughwood have been approved by the Johnston Planning and Zoning Commission. A layout has been presented for up to eight bays of retail/restaurant space totaling 16,400 SF over 2.82 Acres. The site is located at the southwest corner of NW 86th Street and NW 54th Avenue.

This long-awaited development is set to proceed subject to the approval of the City Council. Action is expected at the Council Meeting on July 16, 2018.

As a part of the site plan and PUD, NW 53rd Place will be closed with this first phase of development. View the City staff report for more information.

The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, located on Camp Dodge in Johnston, trains more than 11,000 law enforcement personnel each year. Over the past several years the air quality and issues with mold levels inside the facility have been a source of concern. In addition, issues with the plumbing and HVAC system continue to cause problems. In recent years leaders of the ILEA have started to look for alternate locations for the facility.

In an effort to keep the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in Johnston, Representative Jake Highfill and Senator Brad Zaun have worked to ensure that this facility will remain a part of the Johnston Community.

In the RIFF (Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund) fund, the state appropriated $1.4 million for Fiscal Year 2019 and $10.8 million for FY 2020 to rehab the building.

Construction is ahead of schedule for the full diamond interchange off of I-35/80 at 100th Street. The interchange is expected to be complete at the end of July. Although the new interchange is in the City of Urbandale, it will provide a new point of access to the Johnston Community.

Click here to view an aerial video from the City of Urbandale that shows the progress on the interchange.

The City of Johnston continues to move forward on the Johnston Town Center Project. As the City prepares to review proposals from developers, the process of acquiring property and preparing the property for development is proceeding.

The acquisition of several new pieces of property is currently in progress. The sites are expected to be added to list of aggregated properties in the Town Center area. This includes properties at 5505 NW 62nd Avenue,5600 NW 63rd Place and  5605 NW 62nd Avenue. As illustrated above, this “super block” will soon be ready for redevelopment.

The City of Johnston will move the project along one step further as they are expected be engaged in the demolition of several properties. With these actions, developers can see tangible evidence that the City is ready for the next steps. Stay tuned for continued updates on the Town Center project.

Gov. Kim Reynolds recently announced a partnership between the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and Iowa Workforce Development to conduct laborshed studies across Iowa. The studies will begin in July and will be conducted at no cost to communities.

Click here to learn more.

The City of Johnston is working with Snyder and Associates to conduct a community-wide Walkability Study that will address overall connectivity of the sidewalks, trails, neighborhoods, schools, parks and businesses in Johnston.

The City is actively soliciting public input to help identify areas of opportunities and areas of concern. Visit the Walkability Study Map Social Page and submit comments by June 18, 2018 so that data can be incorporated and addressed in the study.

Click here to learn more.

Phase II of Construction has Begun

NW 70th Avenue between Peckham Street and NW 86th Street has been closed since April 16.

Pavement has been removed, and grading of the roadbed has begun.

The channel grading on the south side of NW 70th Avenue has been completed, along with the installation of twin 60-inch pipes that will be under the south leg of the roundabout at Peckham Street.

Water main installation west of Peckham Street has been completed. Water main and storm sewer installation east of Peckham Street is underway.

Click here to learn more.

RFQ Deadline For Johnston Town Center Extended

The Johnston City Council has extended the deadline for responses to the Johnston Town Center RFQ to 1 PM on Friday, June 15th.

This extension is partially related to action in the Iowa legislature regarding the authority of cities to develop projects using a lease purchase financing mechanism. Legislation awaiting the Governor’s signature would clarify the authority to use this method for projects such as the Town Center. If enacted, the City of Johnston’s Town Center project and the proposed Lease-Purchase arrangement for a City Hall could proceed. The City may also simply wished to provide developers with more time to respond. Developers are encouraged to take advantage of the extension for preparing a response to the RFQ.

Land Acquisition Update: The City of Johnston has acquired or received signed purchase agreements for all properties within the 18.5-acre Town Center area apart from 5707 & 5645 NW 62nd Ave. and 5630, 5626 and 5650 NW 63rd PL.

Lease-Purchase Note: With the lease-purchase financing model the developer’s financial commitment for construction of a new City Hall would conclude upon satisfactory completion of the building. The developer would not be required to retain ownership.

For more information contact the City of Johnston Economic Development Department at 515-727-7774 or email Adam Plagge at aplagge@cityofjohnston.com.

The Johnston City Council recently considered and approved the site plan for the project titled Dental Studios of Iowa. Updated documents include a preliminary floor plan for the new facility. Watch for more information about West Park!

The new 100th Street interchange off of I-35/80 has been creating a lot buzz for the southwest corner of the Johnston community. Located near 100th Street and NW 54th Avenue is the West Park Office Building and West Park Office Plaza, both which provide a great opportunity for future development in Johnston.

At their April 30th meeting the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the proposed site plans for a 3,900 square foot building that would house a dental office. The operating title presented to the Commission was Dental Studios of Iowa. The property, located at 5495 NW 100th street in the West Park Office Plaza. is currently owned by All Pointes Development LC / Knapp Properties according to documents published by the City of Johnston and the Polk County Assessor.

A business entity search on the Secretary of State web site shows that three companies with a variant on the name Dental Studio of Iowa/Central Iowa/Johnston have registered in 2018.

Iowa Commercial Advisors (previously NAI Optimum) has entered into an agreement with Cushman & Wakefield, a global leader in commercial real estate services. Leadership within Cushman & Wakefield Iowa Commercial Advisors will continue with Kurt Mumm as President and Christopher Stafford as Senior Vice President. The headquarters will be in West Des Moines.

Learn more here.

This beautiful office building is located in the Northwest quadrant of 100th Street and NW 54th Avenue in Johnston. The building features modern construction and open concept finishes throughout the interior and exterior of the building. A new full diamond interchange will be completed in 2018 – providing direct access to 100th Street from I-80/35.

View property flyer here.

Construction on NW 70th Avenue from Peckham Street east to NW 86th Street begins Monday, April 16th. Detour routes will be in place.

Click here to learn more.

WesleyLife has been gratified by the outpouring of interest in Brio of Johnston, their first 55-and-older lease community! Their focus on vibrancy and activity seems to be resonating, as Independent Living at Brio is nearly three-quarters full. They also offer Assisted Living, Memory Support, Long-Term Care, and Skilled Rehabilitation, and they look forward to welcoming residents when we open our doors on schedule this fall at 6901 Peckham Street. They are currently hiring for all Brio positions, so they invite anyone with an interest to visit wesleylife.org/careers and browse our opportunities! For information about Brio, call Susan at (515) 253-2500, or visit their website.

Attention Developers and Investors. The City of Johnston has formally posted a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) relating to the Johnston Town Center Project. This project is a primary focus of development for the community, and the City of Johnston is seeking qualified partners to develop the area located at the intersection of Merle Hay Road and NW 62nd Ave. Interested parties are asked to respond no later than NOON on Monday, May 7, 2018.

In conjunction with the release of this RFQ, the City has modified its TIF policy to provide additional benefits for projects in the Town Center and Merle Hay Road Gateway areas.  Specifically, projects will be considered for funding up to the equivalent of 75% of the segregated incremental property taxes for up to ten (10) years. The city will also consider mutually beneficial infrastructure improvements for which the incurred costs may be discounted against other TIF funding.

This location is a primary node of traffic and activity in the community, and several high quality multi-family housing projects have recently opened in the vicinity (Cadence and 62W). A Community Survey conducted in 2015 revealed that 79% of respondents wanted the City of Johnston to put an emphasis on bringing additional retail and restaurants to Johnston.

A market study was conducted, and a plan has been developed to transform the area surrounding City Hall into a Town Center for retail, dining and other mixed use. Design guidelines have been developed, and the City of Johnston has been working to acquire properties for the project. It is expected that in 2018 the City will take steps to make this “super block” ready for development.

Developers and investors are needed to help fulfill the vision expressed in these initial plans. For more information contact the City of Johnston Economic Development Department at 515-727-7774 or email Adam Plagge at aplagge@cityofjohnston.com.

Click here to review the Summary Report, Market Study and Design Guidelines.

Click here to view the full RFQ.

Johnston Economic Development holds three major events each year. These events are a great way for the JEDCO Membership, as well as other development focused individuals in the Greater Des Moines region to learn more about development activity in the Johnston Community.

The Annual Development Forum held each spring is our largest event of the year. The event typically includes keynote speakers as well as an update from the City of Johnston. The keynote speakers provide attendees with an opportunity to hear from professionals who can provide a regional or state perspective on a given topic. This year the keynote speakers included Michael Ralston, President of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, and Bart Baudler, the Commercial Unit Lead for the North & West United States for Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™.

Both keynote speakers as well as the City of Johnston presented a wealth of valuable information during the formal presentations. The event closed with a networking reception.

Click here to review the full presentation from the Development Forum.