.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: 12px; 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: 12px; } .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: 12px; } .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;} tr.d0 td { background-color: #ccccff; color: black; }
At last Monday’s meeting, the Des Moines City Council received and filed the 2 Rivers District Plan, which calls for a mixed-use development in an area south of the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers downtown. The plan will now go to the Plan and Zoning Commission and the Park and Recreation Board for review and recommendations for changes, such as rezoning, that would help move the idea forward.

Developed by Brian Clark and Associates, the vision plan calls for redevelopment in an area south of the rivers, west of Southeast First St., north of Indianola Avenue and Indianola Road and east of Southwest Seventh St. The council initiated the land-use study after it extended Indianola Avenue across the Raccoon River, opening space for redevelopment. It also was in response to the Meredith Trail and Principal Riverwalk projects going in nearby. The City Council approved the 2 Rivers plan in December 2005, but the Community Development Department shelved it because of other more timely projects.

Jason Van Essen, senior city planner, said the vision is for the area to become more residential and commercial, similar to the East Village, moving away from industrial uses and vacant land. It also will utilize the views of the river and downtown, connect to nearby trails and take advantage of the ethnic communities, including the many Italian shops, in the district.

“This is really a 30-plus-year plan,” Van Essen said, but provides a framework to work with developers in the future.