Welcome to The Avenues!

We are property and business owners, professionals and neighbors working together to improve, engage, and promote this area in the historical heart of Des Moines, Iowa. The Avenues is an important corridor within our city connecting downtown to the west side from Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to 42nd Street along Ingersoll and Grand Avenues.

Our vision is to be Des Moines’ mosaic of people-to-people connections, culture and commerce. We want to improve the infrastructure, streetscape, public art and urban planning within our district. This work has resulted in the establishment of an urban renewal area providing tax incremental financing (TIF) opportunities for further improvements.

OUR MISSION:

The SSMID and 501(c)3 boards and staff members work together guided by our combined mission to advance The Avenues to Greater Des Moines and beyond:

  • We create and sustain a clean, safe, beautiful and healthy environment within the district
  • We advance this authentic cultural district built on civility, history, inclusion and access
  • We serve as a model for urban planning

Thank you for visiting! You can contact The Avenues via email at: info@theavenuesdsm.com.

ABOUT THE SSMID:

The Avenues of Ingersoll & Grand Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID) has been established for maintenance, capital improvement, marketing and promotion, and the economic development of the area. The SSMID is 501(c)6 non-profit organization guided by a board tasked with providing fiscal oversight as well as strategic direction.

ABOUT THE 501(c)3:

The Avenues – Ingersoll & Grand Restoration is a 501(c)3 non-profit that started decades ago as a group of passionate neighbors and has evolved into the organization that leads the district today. The Avenues establishes annual strategic goals with a dedicated board and committees, focused on marketing and promotion of the district, public art initiatives, and events that attract people to the district.

Leadership: Staff & Board of Directors

 

Lauren Kollauf
Executive Director
The Avenues

Lauren oversees the day-to-day operation and goals of The Avenues of Ingersoll and Grand, including economic development, marketing & promotion, public art initiatives, beautification efforts, events and the streetscape project. Reach Lauren: director@theavenuesdsm.com

 

 

Kjersten Walker
Executive Director
Urban Recreation District

The vision of the proposed Urban Recreation District (URD) is to build on and further develop recreational infrastructure within the district, which will contribute to both enhanced quality of life and to economic development on The Avenues and beyond. Reach Kjersten: urd@theavenuesdsm.com

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Board of Directors
  • Soozie McBroom, President
  • Brianne Sanchez, Vice President
  • Christine Polson, Secretary
  • Kevin Chen, Treasurer, The Avenues
  • Michael Hutchison, Treasurer, SSMID
  • Clinton Akerberg, President, SSMID
  • Peter Brown
  • Matt Coen
  • Sara Gaskell
  • David Haas
  • Carey Hansen
  • Richard Hurd
  • Chris Irvine
  • Aliou Keita
  • Frank Levy
  • Kaye Lozier
  • Josh Mandelbaum
  • Steve Purcell
  • Randy Reichardt
  • Janis Ruan
  • Rachel Sivi
Non-Voting Members:
  • Lauren Kollauf 
  • Kjersten Walker
  • Mike Ludwig –  City of Des Moines
  • Dustin Miller – Nyemaster Goode, P.C.