.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} The Science Center of Iowa’s request for a $3.25 million addition to its original Vision Iowa award doesn’t represent “a significant change to the project,” the Vision Iowa board said in rejecting the Science Center’s request today.

During its meeting in Johnston, the board voted unanimously to reject the added funding, which would have been used to purchase the adjoining parking ramp from Nelson Development LLC, which built the structure and leases it to the Science Center. The Science Center in 2001 received $15 million in Vision Iowa money as part of a $70 million package for downtown Des Moines.

“We knew from the beginning it was a unique request,” said Mary Sellers, executive director of the Science Center, following the vote. Andy Anderson, who chairs the Vision Iowa board, recused himself from discussion and the vote because he serves on the Science Center’s board.

Sellers earlier said purchasing the ramp, which would cost $5.2 million, is important for the Science Center because the museum relies on the 290-space ramp for parking to accommodate its visitors.

“We feel it’s in our strategic best interest to have control of that facility,” Sellers said. The ramp was not in the original project plan because the city had planned on building a ramp as part of a downtown project that didn’t materialize. The Science Center is pursuing “multiple avenues” to raise the funds, including bank financing, she said.

In other business, the board heard a presentation by World Food Prize Foundation President Kenneth Quinn, whose organization on Oct. 1 applied for $5 million in Vision Iowa funds. Quinn said the foundation has so far raised $13.3 million of the $23.9 million it needs to renovate the former Des Moines Central Library to house the Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates.

Anderson said the request will next move forward to a review and scoring process by the board.