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(Des Moines, IA) -- A change is coming to the Des Moines skyline. A 33-floor, 390 unit apartment building will be joining it. It's a project that's been talked about for eight years.
Connie Boesen is the mayor of Des Moines.
"This is not something that comes along very often, as we all know," Boesen says. "Since 1991, we haven't had this. This is a synergy. It's housing. It's everything we're saying. 'We need more housing.' It's an opportunity to take a parking garage we took over and create an opportunity for us."
The project will be based at 515 Walnut St. which is the eastern half of the Kaleidoscope Mall site. It will utilize over 700 construction jobs, according to city documents.
Joe Gatto serves on the Des Moines City Council.
"This project is a really good project," Gatto says. "Within 20 years, it generates $22 million worth of tax revenue. That's 20 years. Now, we're going to start getting that revenue in 15 years because the tax abatement and the other things are up. In 30 years, it's going to generate $44 million. Without this project, it's $800 worth of taxes in 30 years."
It's scheduled to be finished by 2027.
