Partnership touts continued momentum in downtown report
Business Record Staff Dec 27, 2023 | 1:55 pm
2 min read time
385 wordsAll Latest News, Economic Development, Retail and BusinessDowntown Des Moines is finishing 2023 strong with increased foot traffic numbers and notable economic development projects, officials with the Greater Des Moines Partnership said in its Downtown DSM Quarterly Report for the fourth quarter.
The report, released earlier this month, covers the period from Sept. 1 through Nov. 30. It is intended to highlight momentum and trends for downtown Des Moines on a quarterly basis, and to elevate and celebrate key wins in the central business district and the community.
“The vibrant atmosphere in downtown DSM has led to increased engagement from workers, residents and visitors,” said Renae Mauk, vice president of downtown development at the Partnership. “Recent holiday events and the bustling Downtown Farmers Market and Winter Market have highlighted the city’s lively spirit, while ongoing economic development projects see continual investment from the business community.”
Some of the findings from the report show:
- Downtown foot traffic is up 8% year over year through Nov. 30 and is at 84% of pre-pandemic levels.
- Workday foot traffic downtown is up more than 30% year over year.
- Foot traffic during the work week averaged 66%, while weekend foot traffic averaged 91%. The report showed downtown Des Moines foot traffic exceeds the national rate of 49% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the national Kastle Back to Work Barometer.
- The Partnership helped with two business location or expansion projects, including projects for Pitchly and Tumbleweed.
- Downtown development projects resulted in $1 million in capital investment. Other notable projects mentioned in the report include OpenLoop Health renaming its downtown headquarters, Maverick opening its regional headquarters in the Nationwide building and Des Moines International Airport breaking ground on its new terminal in October.
- There were nearly 918,000 impressions on Downtown DSM social media channels, with more than 39,000 engagements. There were more than 50,000 visitors to the Downtown DSM website.
The report also lists various rankings in which Des Moines was mentioned as being among the best places to live, as well as various data from Operation Downtown, including 254,193 pounds of trash removed, 45,300 dog waste bags replenished, 94,000 cigarette butts recycled and 713 pieces of graffiti removed.