DES MOINES, Iowa — For more than a century, Des Moines' historic city hall building has been a focal point of downtown.
Despite its beauty and charm, city leaders say they've outgrown the space and want to get more of their departments under one roof.
"It really doesn't meet the functions of a modern government," said Deputy City Manager Matt Anderson. "Right now we have 10 different departments scattered in four different buildings, some as far as five miles away from here."
With the goal of building a one-stop shop for both staff and residents, the city purchased Nationwide's vacant downtown building at 1200 Locust St last fall.
A total of $36 million was invested into the new operation: the building was sold for $26 million, while $10 million was spent on its parking garage.
"We're going to take eight customer service desks or windows and turn it into one customer service hub," Anderson told Local 5.
2024 is all about the design work. New renderings released by OPN Architects of the modern space illustrate what changes will be made.
Anderson said the design was created with ease and efficiency at the forefront. That includes improvements to the city council chambers, which are often overflowing during public comment sessions.
The new building's chambers will be double in size and on the first floor, providing better accessibility.
"Our biggest thing we're looking to do is just make it easier to interact with your city government," Anderson said.
The physical separation of being in different locations has made it harder for city staff to communicate, but with everyone under one roof, that issue will be solved.
The Des Moines Police Department will also move into the new building, which could be up and running by 2026.