CXR 2.0 Update: June 2017
As we launched Capital Crossroads 2.0 in February, our volunteers understood the significant journey that laid ahead of us: Implementing a nearly 130-page comprehensive community development strategy that spans topics from traditional economic development to mental health to arts and culture. In the first few months of executing on the vision plan, we’ve made significant progress across all ten Capitals, or work platforms. Take a look at just a sampling of our work over the last quarter.
The Business Capital, through the Greater Des Moines Partnership, worked with local economic development organizations in the second quarter to retain and expand businesses such as Atlantic Bottling, Compressor Controls, Facebook, Global Atlantic, Siegwerk USA, and Windsor Windows.
Part of the Capital Core team is working to update a retail study that was published in late 2013. We expect to share the findings later this year. We also have a team working on developing a downtown Des Moines workforce housing plan, which will serve as a template for other areas of the region upon its completion.
The Cultivation Corridor generated investment leads through trade shows and expos across the nation. The organization also has released several new pieces of collateral designed to help share the message that Central Iowa is the premier destination for agricultural investment, talent, and research.
Officials convened a dozen conversations open to the public, individual artists, nonprofit arts organizations, and for-profit creative businesses and professionals to inform the Regional Cultural Assessment. The Assessment will be complete later this summer and will frame the work of the Cultural Capital.
The Governance Capital’s Local Government Collaboration (LGC) Project continues to be a shining example of what can be accomplished through regionalism. Fourteen jurisdictions are expected to approve the uniform building code developed through the LGC’s Central Iowa Code Consortium. We’re also working on developing the Fair Play Agreement 2.0 along with the Business Capital.
The Partnership collaborated with the University of Iowa to establish year-round housing options for interns at the Iowa Center for Higher Education, bolstering the work of the Human Capital. Representatives from The Partnership and United Way of Central Iowa also helped pass a bill expanding alternative pathways for residents to achieve their High School Equivalency Diploma this legislative session.
In the Natural Capital, we’re supporting the work of Connect Downtown to enhance walkability in downtown Des Moines. The beginning stages of the regional parks plan has started in collaboration with Iowa State University, and we’ve held two events as part of the Current Conversations on Water Quality: An Upstream-Downstream Exchange in partnership with Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance.
The Des Moines Area MPO awarded more than $13 million to 16 transportation projects, playing a significant role in the Physical Capital. Officials also developed a proposed governance model for DART, and now efforts are underway to study potential funding models for implementation of DART Forward 2035. An engineering study is underway for the regional water trails plan, infrastructure in a few communities is being upgraded to provide for up to gigabit internet connectivity, and work to establish a land bank continues to move forward.
The Social Capital is working with various stakeholders to begin identifying community goals particularly focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. In May, the Community Foundation hosted a training on Leading with Civility in partnership with the Ray Center and Capital Crossroads.
The Wellness Capital has created a survey tool that is currently being piloted to assess and improve workers’ social and emotional well-being, while our friends at the Healthiest State Initiative have launched the Iowa Walking College, an interactive and no cost, six-month program to explore ways to improve walkability around the state.
Check out the full quarterly report here.