Terry Wells is a big man with a big voice.
 
And when the Des Moines resident recently addressed the City Council regarding a request to rezone the former Franklin Junior High School site to allow the building to be converted to a hotel and entertainment venue, his message came through resoundingly.

“Chris,” Wells said, addressing Councilman Chris Coleman, who lives in northwest Des Moines, “you remember all the stuff that went on in the Beaverdale area and when [Tower Park] was softball fields and all of the area was grass and they had outdoor concerts?

“They’re still doing outdoor concerts at Tower,” Wells said. “The bluegrass festival is there. But we’re going to tell [developer Jeff Young] he can’t have any amplified sounds?”

Young hopes to transform the nearly 70-year-old former school building at 4801 Franklin Ave. into a facility with hotel rooms, restaurants, bars, a patio, an outdoor movie venue, and up to six auditoriums with seating for between 100 and 4,200 people. 

Thomas Campiano, the majority owner of Franklin Court Apartments just west of the school, filed a letter with the city opposing the project. He told the council on May 20 that his residents are concerned about the noise that the patio and any other outdoor activities might generate.

“We don’t want to listen to any bands or music or drunks or that type of thing,” said Campiano, who with two others spoke against the project.   
Tower Park is just north of the apartment complex and former school property. For more than five years, a bluegrass festival has been held at the park. Other activities such as wedding and graduation receptions are also held there. All must abide by the city’s noise ordinances just like Young agreed to do on his property.

Yet some nearby residents and some on the council want to restrict Young from having a patio or holding some types of outdoor events.

“I’ve heard about loud noise tonight and no amplified sounds,” Wells said to the council. “You’re going to put it on [Young] but we’re doing parties and other things at the park that are sponsored by the city?”

The comments by Wells, one of 16 people who spoke in favor of the rezoning, drew several seconds of loud applause from the packed council chambers.
Not applauding or responding, however, were Des Moines City Council members, who delayed a vote on the issue until June 24.