Valley Junction has been bustling with new business since May.

New stores include Angie’s Kids Zone, Fishlips3, Frackleberrys,

Lily Arts & Crafts, Unique Fashions and Lillians Shoppe.

A lot of these changes are a result of retailers shifting locations

within the district, said Historic Valley Junction Foundation

Executive Director Jim Miller. For example, he said Mainstream

Boutique bought the building two doors down from its former

site, which allowed Unique Fashions to move in.

“Every time anyone moves into Valley Junction, it creates a

chain of people moving in,” he said.

The Tavern also is making major renovations to its restaurant

and bar, Miller said, including larger front windows, a new

awning and kitchen improvements.

“To me that’s a very exciting project,” Miller said. “Here’s a

business that’s been here forever spending lots of money,

obviously investing in their property, saying ‘We’re here. We’re

not going anywhere.'”

The city of West Des Moines is making its own investment

through the second phase of a streetscape project, which will

replace and add more signs leading people to Valley Junction,

add an arch over Fifth Street on the south entrance and create

a small park on the west side. The arch will be made of

wrought iron, giving it an industrial look that fits the district’s

railroad theme.

Construction Technologies Inc. will begin and complete

construction next spring. They will receive $280,223 for the

entire project, which also includes intersection and pedestrian

improvements.

West Des Moines also is in the process of purchasing the

former city hall at 137 Fifth St. for about $250,000, which it will

pay for in two installments this year and in 2008. It will make

historic renovations to the building and is considering using it as

a welcome center for the entire city. Miller said it could house

the Historic Valley Junction Foundation offices as well.

In addition, the city has received about $60,000 through a

Main Street Iowa grant for an estimated $200,000 project that

will install a continuous block of fire sprinklers in Valley

Junction’s older buildings. This improvement would make it

easier and cheaper for building owners to add individual

sprinkler systems to each building, encouraging owners to

expand to upper levels.

Miller said the Historic Valley Junction Foundation has a list

of other improvements that could happen as funding becomes

available. One would be to update the 15-year-old streetscaping

down the main corridor, replacing benches and streetlights.

But, Miller said, “I think we’re in a good place. I think our

traffic is really strong right now. Our events have all had good

attendance and good sales.”