The property LifeServe Blood Center owns in Des Moines’ East Village mixed-use district will likely spark interest from a variety of developers, Matt Anderson, Des Moines’ deputy city manager, said. 

So far, though, no one has approached the city about redeveloping the site, he said.

“The location could be a little bit of everything,” Anderson said. “It could include the classic street-level retail and restaurant uses and upper-level residential – affordable and smaller apartments.”

A hotel also could be part of the mix, Anderson said. Development would likely include several smaller buildings rather than one large structure, he said.

LifeServe moved into the former bank building at 431 E. Locust St. in 2002. At the time, the East Village was just beginning its transformation into a bustling district filled with retail shops, restaurants, hotels, offices and residences.

The LifeServe property occupies nearly a full square block between East Fourth and East Fifth streets and East Locust and East Walnut streets. (Beechwood Lounge is located in a century-plus-old building located on a sliver of land at 416 E. Walnut St.) The three-story building LifeServe occupies includes administrative offices, laboratory and storage areas and the donor center.

Much of the building’s frontage along East Locust Street includes large windows and brick walls. The facility’s main entrance is on the building’s south side.

“Right now, the building’s front door faces away from the East Village,” Anderson. said. “The ability to take that whole block along Locust, in particular, and activate it with storefronts and other activity is really important from a pedestrian experience. … It would be capitalizing on all of the foot traffic that goes by there.”

The property, which includes nearly 2.5 acres and is valued at $5.7 million, is expected to be listed for sale in the coming weeks. The property would likely transfer ownership in early 2024 after LifeServe moves to its new headquarters in Johnston.

Whether the 61,204-square-foot brick building, constructed in 1975, would remain on the East Locust Street property is unknown, Anderson said. “It’s a solid, masonry building. A creative developer could use it but it would be difficult.”

What is known, however, is that once LifeServe sells the currently tax-exempt property, it will return to property tax rolls. The city will be better able to assist potential developers with filling in financial gaps with tax increment financing and other tools, Anderson said. “If the building is demolished it will be a pretty expensive and extraordinary cost that would be difficult on a developer’s proforma.

“We’re ready and willing to work with anybody to move a project forward.”

RELATED ARTICLE: New LifeServe headquarters designed without building materials selected; design process not typical, says architect

IN MAY 6 BUSINESS RECORD
Check out the May 6 Business Record to learn more about LifeServe Blood Center and the site where its new headquarters will be built in Johnston.