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141 Flyover Douglas Interstate Interchange Water Tower 35 80 Sunrise Sunset Urbandale

“Beware of the half truth. You may have gotten the wrong half.”

Myth: Urbandale’s past defines its future. We respect our past, but it isn’t our script for the future. From a developer’s lens, the right question is simple: are a city’s systems—governance, finance, regulations, infrastructure—built to enable the next project, not repeat the last one? That’s where we live. As our marketing & communications director Derek…

By City of Urbandale | Oct 14, 2025

Operation Downtown conducting survey on downtown perceptions

Operation Downtown, which manages safety, cleaning and maintenance services in downtown Des Moines, is conducting an online survey to gather feedback on how the area is performing and perceptions about downtown Des Moines. Participants are invited to share insights on the success and future of the district. Participants may choose to enter a drawing for…

By Business Record Staff | Oct 14, 2025

Iowa banks warn business customers of account takeover fraud

Iowa banks are alerting business customers of continued account takeover fraud schemes in which criminals impersonate bank representatives through phone calls or text messages to steal online banking credentials, according to a news release from the Iowa Bankers Association. The scams use spoofed websites that closely resemble legitimate bank sites and trick recipients into sharing…

By Business Record Staff | Oct 14, 2025

WDM P&Z takes ‘enabling step’ in Valley West Mall redevelopment

The West Des Moines Planning and Zoning Commission voted Monday to designate an Urban Renewal Area around Valley West Mall, a move that Ryan Moffatt, the city’s community and economic development director, described as an “enabling step,” toward the redevelopment of the site of the once popular mall. “This is basically just a step in…

By Michael Crumb | Oct 14, 2025

Interviews begin next week for ISU president; new leader to be named on Nov. 11

Eight semifinalists for the job of president of Iowa State University will be interviewed on Oct. 20-21 by the ISU Presidential Search Committee. The virtual interviews will be done behind closed doors and the identities of the semifinalists will not be revealed, according to a news release. Earlier this month, the 12-member search committee narrowed…

By Business Record Staff | Oct 13, 2025

Lead DSM announces 2026 Youth Leadership Initiative class

Lead DSM has announced participants in the Youth Leadership Initiative class of 2026. The Youth Leadership Initiative aims to provide high school students with hands-on experiences that help them become better leaders for their schools and communities. This year’s class includes 38 students from 17 public and private schools across Greater Des Moines. Students will…

By Business Record Staff | Oct 13, 2025

Iowa Leading Indicators Index points to employment growth in August

The Iowa Department of Revenue has released a summary of its latest Iowa Leading Indicators Index, which is an analysis of several economic indicators for the state. Simple takeaways include: The August index increased 0.2% to 107.7 in August. The monthly diffusion index increased to 81.3 in August from 43.8 in July. The Iowa nonfarm…

By Business Record Staff | Oct 13, 2025

New program launched to support emerging multifamily developers

A new program is beginning to aid emerging Polk County developers in learning the intricacies of developing multifamily projects. The first phase of Develop the Developer Launchpad, sponsored by Polk County Housing Trust Fund, includes a two-week boot camp that will provide participants with fundamental knowledge in multifamily development and access to local industry experts…

By Kathy A. Bolten | Oct 13, 2025