Center Street Park & Ride

860 – 6th Avenue

Designed by Herbert Lewis Kruse Blunck (HLKB) in 1998 as a way to help pull cars and parking out of the central business district of Des Moines.

Awards won:

• 1999 – Honor Award, Iowa chapter AIA & Excellence in Concrete
• 2000 – National Honor Award AIA, Honor Award Central State AIA,
• Merit Award US DOT
• CRSI Design Award (Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute)

The Park and Ride consists of three primary components: parking for 1,815 automobiles, a daycare facility for 100 children, and a metro bus station serving the central business district of Des Moines.

The urban intent of the project is to limit traffic within the central business district by locating parking for workers on the near periphery of downtown.

The ability for members of the downtown workforce to park close to the freeway, drop off children, and use public transportation inside the central business district contributes to a healthier and better-planned urban area.

The south edge of the structure is set back from the street to form a public plaza and daycare play area at the interface between the garage and the downtown.

The glass and steel elevator and stair towers provide unique views to the city, and humanize the large scale of the garage on the north, south, and east edges of the building.

The west side of the building, a primary entry corridor into downtown, announces both entry and function of the garage with large scale “PARK” text projected from the steel grating and perforated stainless steel panels.