City of Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa Vital Links:
City of Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines Chamber of Commerce
Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Des Moines Register Newspaper
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city of the State of Iowa. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, until it was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is also the county seat of Polk County. The five-county metropolitan area is ranked 93rd in terms of population in the United States according to 2005 estimates from the United States Census Bureau. Des Moines is a major center for the insurance industry and also has a sizeable financial services and publishing business base. The city is the headquarters for the Principal Financial Group, the Meredith Corporation, and Ruan Transportation. Other major corporations such as Wells Fargo, ING Group, and John Deere have large operations in or near the metro area. Forbes Magazine ranked Des Moines as the 11th "Best Place for Business" in 2006. U.S. Interstates 35 and 80 pass through the City of Des Moines. The city is in the midst of major construction in the downtown area. The new Science Center of Iowa and the Iowa Events Center opened in 2005, while the new central branch of the Des Moines Public Library, designed by David Chipperfield, opened on April 8, 2006. The World Food Prize Foundation, which is based in Des Moines, announced in 2001 that it will restore the former Des Moines Public Library building as the Dr Norman Borlaug/World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. In 2002 the Principal Financial Group and the city announced plans for the Principal Riverwalk, which will feature trails, pedestrian bridges across the river, a fountain and skating plaza, and a "civic garden" in front of the City Hall. Several existing downtown buildings are being converted to loft apartments and condominiums. This trend is highlighted by the success of the "East Village" district of shops, studios, and housing between the capitol district and the Des Moines River. The Des Moines metro area is also experiencing a boom, in particular the western suburbs. West Des Moines, in particular, now has over 50,000 people and is home to the Jordan Creek Town Center, the largest shopping center in Iowa, as well as several Wells Fargo office complexes, including a new corporate campus that is scheduled for completion in 2007. Nearby Dallas County was the 38th fastest-growing county in the United States between 2000 and 2005 with a growth rate of 27 percent, according to the United States Census Bureau. The Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of five central Iowa counties: Polk, Dallas, Warren, Madison, and Guthrie. The area had a 2000 census population of 481,394 and an estimated 2005 population of 522,454. The Des Moines-Newton-Pella Combined Statistical Area consists of those five counties plus Jasper and Marion counties; the 2000 census population of this area was 550,659 and the estimated 2005 population was 593,112. Des Moines's suburbs include Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Grimes, Johnston, Martensdale, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, and Windsor Heights. As of the census of 2000, there were 198,682 people, 80,504 households, and 48,704 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,012.0/km² (2,621.3/mi²). There were 85,067 housing units at an average density of 433.3/km² (1,122.3/mi²). Most residents of Des Moines get around the region by car. Interstate 235 cuts through the city, and Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 both pass through the Des Moines metropolitan area. U.S. Route 65 and Iowa Highway 5 form a freeway loop to the east and south of the city. U.S. Routes 6 and 69 and Iowa Highway 28, 141, Iowa Highway 163, and 415 are also important routes to and within the city. A new northern beltway is being planned to help with northside congestion in growing suburbs such as Grimes and Ankeny. ?
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