.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: 10px; 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: 10px; } .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: 10px; } .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;} It’s been a long winning streak for the optimists in Central Iowa, but the pessimists are being proved right about one major project.

It was never quite clear how the John and Mary Pappajohn Education Center was going to benefit downtown businesses. The big employers already were providing space and equipment for educational seminars, and several colleges already had established programs and facilities.

Then came questions about the building itself. The exterior was cool and contemporary and the landscaping came together nicely. But in private conversation, some people wondered why the building was designed with such a cold-looking interior and why so much of its space had limited uses.

As for the operation of the programs, we can’t rate Kent Sovern’s performance with certainty, but it seemed that not enough activity was being generated.

Pappajohn’s offer to donate the building to the Des Moines Independent Community School District was an admirable move, and the arrangement could be a fine one for years to come. But that wasn’t the idea that was sold to the community when the Pappajohn Center was billed as a key part of the Western Gateway.

History is full of optimism gone overboard, and the results are usually expensive in one way or another. The lesson is not that pessimism should prevail. The lesson is that when pessimists ask important questions and raise critical issues, those concerns should be addressed.

The recent successes in downtown Des Moines prove that big things can be done here. They don’t prove that every idea works out as planned.

Remember the Ruan Greater Des Moines Grand Prix? It sounded exciting, and it was kind of fun, but more than anything else it turned out to be a huge hassle.

We can’t avoid all missteps, but we can keep them to a minimum by listening to everyone with a serious viewpoint, not just the people wearing rose-tinted glasses.