Two downtown Des Moines attractions will seek a total of $8.25 million in state funding from the Vision Iowa board when it meets tomorrow in Johnston.

The World Food Prize Foundation has requested a $5 million Vision Iowa grant to renovate the former Des Moines Central Library building to house the Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates. At the same meeting, the Science Center of Iowa will seek a $3.25 million grant, part of which would be used to pay for an adjoining three-story parking ramp.

The two requests are among three projects seeking funding from the Vision Fund program, which has $9 million remaining to allocate. Mason City is seeking $9 million for a series of seven downtown renovation and streetscape projects.

The World Food Prize Foundation’s proposed $23.9 million Hall of Laureates will include renovation work on all four floors of the building for ballrooms, conference space and educational exhibits. The east entrance facing the Des Moines River would be reconstructed and the east parking lot replaced by a garden with public artwork. The building has been vacant since April 2005, when the Des Moines Public Library relocated to the new Central Library in Western Gateway Park.

The Science Center has already received $15 million in Vision Iowa funds as part of the $70 million Capital City Vision Project award to several downtown projects in July 2001. The Science Center has since identified $6.6 million in additional infrastructure needs, including $5.2 million to purchase a 290-space parking ramp and $1.3 million for building new exhibits.