Urbandale officials have come to the community with a draft plan for turning the city's downtown into a more vibrant destination in the coming decades The city had a public open house May 1 at Urbandale City Hall to present a downtown master plan — a set of recommendations for potential capital improvement projects and other changes to enact the vision for downtown And that vision would include more mixed-use commercial and residential spaces centered around pedestrian plazas and green features with more public parking and a reconfigured Douglas Avenue City officials want to make downtown Urbandale a draw for families and businesses and have more space for parking and events Urbandale's downtown is roughly the area around Douglas Avenue between 72nd Street in the west and the city's eastern boundary at Merle Hay Mall "I want so many strollers down here that they're bumping into each other," Aaron DeJong said at a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting April 28 and more comments were taken at the open house including demolishing existing buildings and businesses in favor of bigger ones with housing and retail It also could include eliminating car traffic all together in some places in favor of pedestrian plaza change needs to happen,'" said Amy Reynolds 7021 Douglas Avenue near the corner of 70th Street But though Reynolds said it would "be good for Urbandale" to have a revitalized downtown she did have questions about what the plan would mean for local businesses like hers After several more City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission meetings in May and June the plan may be considered for final approval at the June 17 City Council meeting The city wants to see projects from the plan included in this fall's upcoming capital improvements project list "This plan is a great first step" to show the city is serious starting with Douglas Avenue and the Big Node west of 70th Street The second phase would focus on the rest of Douglas Avenue going east and the Little Node including the 67th Street pedestrian plaza Brown said in an email that the city would hope to see visible changes downtown within the next year or two but the full redevelopment could take 20 to 30 years He said the public infrastructure investments in the plan could preliminarily cost about $32.5 million though that would be over many years and subject to whatever final plans look like Brown said the city would balance its public investment with expected private investment "We acknowledge that it will take some degree of public incentive and investment to create confidence for developers and businesses to invest in downtown A clear plan and commitment from the City of Urbandale to implement the plan will help build that confidence," he said Local business wonders what the future will holdReynolds said Big Sky Bread has been on its corner since September 1997 though it has moved buildings once in the time since Reynolds said declines in the neighborhood have come and gone with the economy A more lasting change happened when larger office buildings including by Merle Hay Mall moved further west into the suburbs taking with them lunch crowds that led to the bakery's deli closing within a couple years Reynolds said the business has seen a lot of newly arrived families become new customers which she attributed to Urbandale being a good place to buy a starter home She was aware Big Sky is located in the middle of what would become the Big Node where larger mixed-use buildings may someday stand That was not really a concern for her in itself but she did wonder what the construction and impact on rents might mean in the long-term She hoped construction downtown would be over and done with in five years rather than 20 or 30 years because she feared a longer timeframe would keep too many customers away for too long And Reynolds said Big Sky would love to stay in the area On the same day as Urbandale's open house for its downtown master plan Grimes planned to release initial recommendations from an ongoing assessment of its historic downtown — known as the Governors District — to "identify opportunities for revitalization and infrastructure improvements," according to a city news release Grimes Chamber and Economic Development and the Iowa Economic Development Authority will include recommendations that the city can act on immediately or within the next five years The full report won't be ready for about two more months Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com or on X at @pslifeisabeauty. Find out more about him online through the Register's staff directory Soccer action continues today from the Hy-Vee Multiplex as the second day of the DCG/Urbandale Invite is underway the Mustangs faced off against and swept the Spencer Tigers 6-0 and prepare to face off against the #1 ranked Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks today the Mustangs would take the lead early and would never look back scoring an impressive five goals in the first half with 1 final goal in the second to secure a 6-0 shut out victory against Spencer The second day of the DCG/Urbandale Invite is now underway as the as the #2 ranked Mustangs face off against the #1 ranked Go-Hawks The battle between Dallas Center-Grimes and Waverly-Shell Rock is set to begin today at 11am at the Hy-Vee Multiplex in Grimes If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below) so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue The week of April 27-May 3 was filled with some outstanding individual performances from Des Moines metro-area high school male athletes Boys track and field athletes had a productive week between the Drake Relays and state qualifying meets 1 West Des Moines Valley won a 1-0 battle over 3A No Area boys golfers and tennis players also stepped up their game with the postseason just around the corner Here are the Des Moines Register's male Athlete of the Week candidates from the Des Moines metro area for the week of April 27-May 3 DesMoinesRegister.com readers vote to determine the winners who will be announced at the end of the week ValleyMendez scored the winning goal for the 4A No 1 Valley boys soccer team during its 1-0 victory over 3A No Mendez put the ball in the net off a feed from Eric Foust during the second half to give the Tigers the victory Curtis led a balanced attack for the 4A No 2 Des Moines Roosevelt boys soccer team during its 10-0 victory over Waterloo East on April 29 at Waterloo Curtis converted his only shot on goal into a score during the game He also dished out one assists to help the Roughriders improve to 9-1-1 on the season JohnstonKumaresan helped the Johnston boys tennis team prevail in both the No 1 singles and doubles matches during the Dragons' 9-2 victory at Dowling Catholic on April 29 Kumaresan defeated Dowling's Brady Frye in straight sets 1 doubles match he teamed with Aadil Patel to sweep past Frye and Rob Beecher with a pair of 6-3 victories Haisman took medalist by four strokes for the North Polk boys golf team during the Winterset Invitational on May 2 at the Lakeview Country Club in Winterset Haisman carded a 2-under-par round of 68 to defeat Perry's Daxon Weeks' score of 72 for the top individual score Haisman also helped the Comets win the team title with a 302 to Winterset's 309 Des Moines EastParker helped the Des Moines East boys track and field team win the boys sprint medley relay at the Valley Relays on May 2 in West Des Moines Parker anchored East to a winning time of one minute The Scarlets finished comfortably ahead of Dowling Catholic's runner-up time of 1:34.80 Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman A tech company specializing in mailing and shipping will close its Urbandale facility According to the company's posting on the Iowa Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification site the layoffs at the Urbandale location on 121st Street just west of Interstate 35/80 will take effect May 19 Pitney Bowes did not immediately respond to a request for more information Addison Lathers covers growth and development for the Des Moines metro. Reach her at 608-931-1761 and ALathers@registermedia.com, and follow her on X at @addisonlathers (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy) 14 meeting of the Urbandale school board opened on a low note The first public comment centered around the J-Hawks' athletics programs and their struggles to compete in the Central Iowa Metropolitan League Urbandale parent Marc Salmon provided details of the school's athletics woes: “The whole point of a conference is to provide the right level of competition for our kids, that will increase athletic participation,” Salmon said, according to video of and minutes from that Oct. 14 meeting “A good conference that provides good matches The CIML provides none of that for our kids in any sport.” Salmon noted that the CIML was formed in 1991 when the Des Moines metro area looked much different the league has added affluent suburban schools such as Ankeny Centennial Those newcomers are among the top athletics schools in the state and Urbandale is having trouble competing against them as well as CIML originals such as Dowling Catholic Some former CIML schools have decided in recent years to move to different conferences where they can better compete Indianola and the Des Moines Public Schools Salmon believes it's time for Urbandale to do the same and it’s clear that he isn’t alone in his thinking Three other members of the community – Eric Cannon Brandon Rinnan and Jake Troja – all commented on Urbandale’s struggles in its current conference with Troja being the only speaker who advocated for staying in the CIML Cannon spoke about a survey sent by the school board to students and families about the possibility of leaving the CIML in which respondents were asked whether the district should stay in the CIML – 259 said no He also cited how players from the girls softball team left to play for schools like Waukee Northwest and Dallas Center-Grimes “Do we want to continue to see these kids and their families leave Urbandale?” Cannon said Urbandale has the smallest enrollment of the schools in the CIML and it is the only school in the conference with fewer than 1,000 students according to the Basic Educational Data Survey from the Iowa Department of Education One of the options that Urbandale seems to be considering is the Little Hawkeye Conference which features seven teams: Dallas Center-Grimes fielded questions about a potential increase in travel costs and time out of school for athletes if Urbandale did change conferences whether other conferences would want Urbandale to join and what would happen to the J-Hawks' co-op programs the Urbandale school board elected to do more research before making any decisions The Des Moines Register reached out to the district for comment “Urbandale Community School District values the feedback received from students and staff regarding the District’s participation in the CIML While preferences for staying or leaving the CIML vary we know everyone is coming from a place of wanting to do what is best for students now and in the future We are working with our Board of Directors and community to collect information on all potential outcomes related to conference affiliation We will continue keeping stakeholders informed about this important topic.” (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy Grinnell is currently in the Wamac Conference.) Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel Jodi Safris said her daughter's trust was broken at school when teachers and administrators failed to protect her from bullying and sexual assault Her daughter, who turns 20 this week, is still grappling with the situation that happened six years ago, when she was a middle schooler in Urbandale She has a hard time getting out of bed each morning remembering to take her medication or learning new tasks at work But there was a bright light earlier this month when a jury found the Urbandale Community School District was negligent in a case that Jodi Safris and her husband brought against the district and an Urbandale Middle School teacher in 2022 8 found the district at fault for failing to protect their daughter from a male student who circulated nude pictures of her and from harassment and bullying from him and other peers or prevent the male student from sexually assaulting her did not find the district liable for any damages meaning it does not have to pay a settlement related to her mental or physical distress Jodi Safris said the verdict is validation for her daughter to understand she was "hurt in that classroom and shouldn't have been." The verdict "is incredibly powerful in her healing — that those men and women who didn't know anybody in that courtroom looked at all the evidence presented on both sides and concluded the school was negligent," Safris said in an interview with the Des Moines Register The Safrises' daughter is not named in the lawsuit and the Register does not identify victims of sexual assault without their consent The school district and its attorney listed in the lawsuit did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Des Moines Register Urbandale Superintendent Rosalie Daca told WHO 13 in a statement after the verdict "The Urbandale Community School District is pleased with the outcome of the trial and the jury’s determination Urbandale Community School District was not the proximate cause of any damages to (the victim)." who said her daughter has asked her parents to continue to advocate for her and seek to protect other students in Urbandale through policy and leadership changes citing a previously unknown witness who testified at the trial has requested that the Urbandale Police Department reopen a criminal investigation against the alleged perpetrator She also said the family is working with the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to seek professional accountability for the teachers and administrators who were working at the time She said her family trusts the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to determine whether sanctions are appropriate in the case But she fears the verdict will not go far enough to protect other children in her daughter's situation because the school was aware of students distributing nude photos of their daughter and failed to stop it and failed to take sufficient steps to protect her from sexual assault The family fears a similar thing could happen again "Her biggest concern is for the girl who's sitting in her seat now," Safris said "Teachers miss things all the time," like someone cheating or a tossed pencil or note "But teachers do not miss sexual assault in the classroom," she said "And teachers certainly should not be missing repeated sexual assault in the classroom The Safrises said in their lawsuit that their daughter was 13 and in eighth grade in the fall of 2018 when she sent a fellow eighth grader photos of her in various states of undress and nude The relationship between the Safrises' daughter and the boy started out friendly It progressed to the male student allegedly putting his hand on her upper thigh during class and touching her leg over her clothing Then the two began exchanging nude photos of one another via Snapchat But the Safrises' daughter declined to enter into a romantic relationship with the boy who allegedly retaliated by distributing and showing the nude photos of her to his friends and other students at the school The boy and his friends allegedly began a "campaign of humiliation and degradation" against her by circulating the photos calling her names and humiliating her at school She attempted to apologize in order to get him to stop The student allegedly said he would "call off his boys" if she did what he wanted her to do and they became a couple the Safrises' daughter and the male student sat next to each other in class when over several weeks — for three months according to a police document included in court filings — he allegedly sexually assaulted her in class with his fingers under a table so it would not be visible to teachers The Safrises' daughter didn't know how to make it stop The emotional and psychological trauma the Safrises' daughter endured resulted in poor behavior and academic performance which in turn led to a 10-day suspension from school That is when the Safrises said they met with the school's then-principal Loren DeKruyf who was later dismissed as a defendant from the lawsuit He is currently the district's human resources director The Safrises said they knew ahead of the meeting that their daughter was being harassed but not that she had been sexually assaulted They told DeKruyf about the harassment and the photos DeKruyf told them their daughter could speak with an adult if she felt bullied or they could homeschool her The Safrises opted to enroll their daughter in another school It wasn't until years later that their daughter opened up about the assault according to a search warrant application the Urbandale Police Department filed in June 2021 two months after Jodi Safris filed a police report The trauma allegedly inflicted on the Safrises' daughter had by June 2021 led her to seek residential mental health treatment in the Des Moines area She was receiving ongoing care through various counselors "Our daughter made three attempts on her life," Jodi Safris said in an interview Her daughter was institutionalized for a total of nearly two years including 10 months at a developmental trauma facility in Missouri She said her daughter tried to transition back to high school after residential treatment in Missouri but it was too daunting for her to even leave the family's car to go inside Her daughter ultimately graduated from a high school in Missouri Safris said her daughter now has a therapy dog named Beethoven who assists her "She does see a future," Safris said of her daughter the Urbandale Community School District denied the allegations filed in the lawsuit including that it knew the nude photos were distributed in school and failed to stop it It also denied that the sexual assault occurred in the presence of teachers who failed to stop it And the district argued the law does not allow for payments related to emotional distress "absent intentional conduct by a defendant or some physical injury to the plaintiff." Current Urbandale school district policies prohibit harassment A trained investigator must complete a "full investigation" and deem it "founded" that harassment or bullying occurred according to the district's student handbook District policy then calls for administrators to meet with the bully's legal guardian and develop a "safety plan." Other consequences may include an in- or out-of-school suspension lasting from 1 to 3 days and contact with law enforcement Harassment also carries similar mandatory and potential consequences Nonconsensual sexual contact that includes groping and touching private areas must result in an in- or out-of-school suspension lasting up to 5 days loss of privileges and a change of schedule also are potential consequences The district's policy on serious physical violence — such as punching or hitting with an object that results in serious injury to one's body or mental faculty — also covers "sexual violence where either the offender(s) or victim(s) require off-site professional medical attention." The consequences must include an in- or out-of-school suspension lasting up to nine days development of a safety plan and contact with law enforcement Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com or on X at @pslifeisabeauty The Urbandale Community School District school board voted Monday to decline an invitation to join the Little Hawkeye Conference Urbandale is currently a member of the Central Iowa Metropolitan League (CIML) After months of publicly considering whether leaving the CIML was in Urbandale’s best interest The board first voted on a motion to join the Little Hawkeye Conference on the condition that the league grow to 10 teams by the end of the school year Then the board voted on a motion to join the Little Hawkeye Conference with no conditions with three "yes" votes and four "no" votes More: Urbandale school board considers leaving the Central Iowa Metropolitan League Urbandale received an invitation to join the Little Hawkeye Conference – currently comprised of Dallas Center-Grimes Pella and Pella Christian – in late January Waukee Northwest and West Des Moines Valley the smallest school by enrollment in the CIML has struggled to compete against those programs in recent years Urbandale’s volleyball program didn’t win any sets against CIML teams for a second straight season The girls basketball team hasn’t won a conference game in nearly six years Boys golf hasn’t won a CIML match since 2017 Urbandale finished in last place among CIML teams in eight of 12 sports that were reported the J-Hawks finished in the bottom half of the conference A total of 551 people responded to the survey with 343 voting to leave and 208 voting to remain But a breakdown of the survey shows that the majority of coaches and students voted to remain in the CIML 15 voted to leave and eight voted to remain Ankeny's city manager of 11 years plans to become Urbandale's new city manager in January Both cities announced Tuesday morning that David Jones will start in his new role in Urbandale on Jan The Des Moines suburb has grown more than 50% and added more than 25,000 new residents during his tenure "I wish the organization and community nothing but the best in the future," Jones said in a news release A.J. Johnson, who has been Urbandale's city manager since 2009 Jones will be Urbandale's third city manager in 40 years; Johnson's predecessor Bob Layton served in the role for 25 years The Urbandale City Council will formally consider Jones' employment agreement at an upcoming meeting Ankeny said its City Council will discuss plans for the search for a new city manager "in the near future." It turned up more than 40 candidates from 19 states “With an impressive track record in strengthening financial conditions overseeing transformative infrastructure projects (Jones) is uniquely qualified to lead our community into the future," Urbandale Mayor Bob Andeweg said in a statement Jones said he too is looking forwarding to working with the city and its staff “I have been very impressed with the entire Urbandale team during the recruitment process," he added the city credited him with reducing the city's debt per capita leading a public-private partnership to build the Albaugh Family Senior Community Center and successfully leading efforts to pass a double bond referendum to build a new fire station and library Ankeny Mayor Mark Holm said in a statement that Jones worked with him and other officials to "dramatically improve the City’s financial condition while delivering world-class facilities and amenities Homebuyers torn between the lure of a traditional property with "good bones" and the chance to become the very first residents of a newly overhauled home can experience the best of both worlds inside a 3,410-square-foot home for sale in Urbandale Located on a corner lot across from the parklike grounds of the Urbandale Middle School four-bedroom home sits on an uncommon double lot in the area fenced backyard and two newly installed cedar decks Realtor Holly Craiger listed the home at $684,500 Craiger performed double duty as the interior designer on the renovation to create a top-to-bottom 21st century restoration of a 1970s home The couple bought the home at a foreclosure auction sight unseen but the gamble began to pay off once the Craigers got over their initial reaction And the end result turned out better than what I expected” Fritz Craiger said Obstacles they initially encountered included finding a solution to the dark interior and color palette that dominated the home’s original 1978 aesthetic because when we got there for the first time it was very Lot of lot of deep rich blues and maroon browns,” Holly Craiger said People want light interiors that make it feel good Reviewing current interior design trends and trusting their personal taste the Craigers opted for an open-plan ground-floor layout but with distinct areas for two family rooms equipped with their own fireplaces “People seem to like their separate spaces all centered around the kitchen,” Holly Craiger added now decorated with a neutral color scheme and warm wood tones quartz countertops and a 10-foot island with room for four stools Creating a step-down living room has impacted the height of the unfinished basement a potential 2,090 square feet of space is waiting underneath the home to be developed upgrades to the three bathrooms include porcelain tile and recessed LED lighting that continues throughout the house And following a visit to the local HomeShowExpo last September for flooring and installed it on both levels for its looks “All of the builders were using luxury vinyl plank flooring to look like wood,” Holly Craiger explained The upper level also features the primary bedroom with direct access to an outdoor deck plus an extra bedroom tucked into the attic space The home sits in the eastern section of Urbandale on 76th Street built before the modern migration to newer developments in the west Less than a 10-minute drive from Merle Hay Mall Fritz noted its appeal to growing families and its convenient placement within the Urbandale Community School District and right behind the elementary school a couple of streets over,” Fritz Craiger said “I've heard from other Realtors that people have moved west and they found it to be a little inconvenient at times and so some people are moving back to the neighborhood,” Holly Craiger explained long-term local residents had voiced their curiosity as to the future of the home they had driven and walked past for more than 40 years “I'm hearing from the neighbors when they walk through now I feel like I need to go do something to my house,’” Fritz Craiger said The home is listed at $684,500 by Holly Craiger of Iowa Realty Beaverdale for more information and a private showing Richard Lane is a freelance writer for the Des Moines Register. If you have a home we should feature, reach out to Susan Stapleton at sstapleton@gannett.com Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application and adored “Boppa” to his grandchildren Mark enjoyed playing baseball and stickball with his neighborhood friends One of his favorite memories was attending games at Ebbets Field with his dad and seeing players like Willie Mays This love of baseball eventually led him to coaching his children’s teams for several years where he encouraged the kids to try new positions Mark attended Sheepshead Bay High School in Brooklyn where he participated in various activities such as National Honor Society and serving as the newspaper commissioner It was during this time that he lost his beloved mother Mollie After graduating with honors from high school in 1963 where he earned his undergraduate degree in psychology in 1969 always questioned how Mark was able to get through his college years without his financial support What Mac didn’t know was that Mark was significantly better at poker than his fraternity brothers he was drafted into the US Army and received his draft notice on Christmas Eve that’s what you get for being Jewish.) Upon completing basic training he was assigned to the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) in Boston It was here that he met several colleagues from the Midwest which led him to considering schools outside of the east coast when he pursued graduate school after discharge Mark began graduate school at Drake University in Des Moines he attended an open house at a professor’s home (It also happened to be her birthday that day.) This was the beginning of their lifelong friendship Mark was offered a position as a psychopharmacologist with the largest pharmaceutical company in the world a career he had to step away from after developing an allergy to the rats he was working with he worked as a systems analyst for several state agencies he worked as an adjunct professor of psychology at Des Moines Area Community College It was during their time at Drake that Mark and Marcia’s relationship began Not only were they of different geographical backgrounds something that they deeply respected about one another in a ceremony officiated by both a rabbi and a priest they continued to support and participate in each other’s religious traditions Mark and Marcia welcomed their first child They were actively involved in their children’s lives and participating in religious activities of both faiths and laughing at (and often rolling their eyes at) Mark’s jokes Mark continued to be actively involved in community service The world will be a little less bright without him in it He is preceded in death by his parents Max and Mollie Cohan Special thanks to the incredible staff at Mission Cancer and MercyOne Oncology for their loving care of Mark In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Lubavitch of Iowa (www.jewishiowa.com) or St. Theresa Catholic Church (www.sainttheresaiowa.org) Add to Calendar Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home & Crematory Add to Calendar This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors View All Subscribe to get notified when new obituaries are posted Welcome to Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home & Crematory Guided by our Core Values of putting Families First we are here to serve you during your time of need Our Family Promise is to always put your family’s needs first and to honor your loved one in a dignified way If any of our services do not meet these promises we will refund or reduce a portion of that service Thank you for trusting us to care for your family We invite you to learn more about our services Our staff guarantees we will carry out the arrangements just as you directed Grief is a journey that is not meant to be traveled alone The information we provide can help others find hope and healing Express your condolences with beautiful fresh flowers hand-delivered by a local florist in the area Please call or fill out the form and let us know how we can help you (515) 276-0551 Something went wrong while submitting the form The Iowa high school girls basketball postseason is here No player – on either side – scored more than 12 points with Kari Rose from Valley and Mariah Dixon from Urbandale each tallying that total “It’s about what I expected,” said Tigers head coach Matt Uthoff We knew they were going to come out and compete and playing a team three times (in a season) is challenging.” The Tigers held a lead at the end of each quarter Valley went up 14-9 in the first and clung to a 22-21 advantage at halftime Despite Urbandale taking the lead at multiple points in the third quarter the Tigers pulled away again in the fourth Urbandale possessed a five-point lead after the third quarter With some of the Tigers’ other offensive options limited making her the only player in Wednesday’s game to hit multiple shots from beyond the arc and her teammates did a good job of finding her and making the pass,” Uthoff said “And I think the 3s that she made were in big moments Valley (7-15) advances to the Class 5A regional semifinal where the Tigers will face Iowa City Liberty on Saturday Urbandale finished the season with a 4-18 overall record “We’re ready to go for a quick turnaround,” Uthoff said The first one’s always the hardest and playing a conference team three times is challenging “We’re super proud of their effort tonight and I’m excited to see them compete on Saturday.” Homebuyers stressed from hunting down a home large enough to accommodate a rapidly growing family might find solace in an eight-bedroom 6 1/2-bathroom property recently listed for sale in Urbandale two-story home is further bolstered by an additional 2,235 square feet of finished basement space to comfortably provide everyone with their own private room Realtor Amy Dempsey is confident the right buyer will ultimately discover the benefits of the unique layout “There’s all these little fun details,” she said It doesn’t feel like it in the center of town.” Positioned on a corner lot at the intersection of 162nd Street and Maple Drive the home’s understated frontage obscures the amount of space hidden inside While six-bedroom properties are not uncommon at a seven-figure price point around the metro it is harder to find a family friendly home that can easily host eight family members at one time The house was custom built by Denton Homes in 2010 to match the specifications of the previous Denton Homes has earned a local reputation for its custom woodwork Creative touches for this project include beams on the ceilings and detailing around the fireplace with a larger countertop surrounded by four stools plus a more formal dining area to one side A handy walk-in pantry is hidden behind two tall doors The open-plan main living space sits a few steps from the hearth room a sunroom-style additional living area with its own floor to ceiling fireplace and direct access to the outdoor deck and backyard views The primary bedroom features a walk-in closet and bathroom with double vanities and a stand-alone shower An additional bedroom is included on the main level The second level is accessed by two separate staircases one by the front door and a back entrance rising from the home’s mudroom The very top of the house also includes another small den ripe for possibilities and previously used for children’s dance practice the walk-out basement includes a “very large wet bar,” Dempsey said one of which has most recently been used as a home office Beneath the four-car garage there is even more opportunity for expansion unfinished space Dempsey suggested could become converted into a home gym or a storage space the Dallas County home is a member of the well-respected Waukee School District Shuler Elementary is situated within walking distance and Northwest High School is a 10-minute drive to the west the backyard space is suitable to install a pool Currently it provides access to the mature woodland that borders the property line “They have deer and lots of bird back there too,” Dempsey added HOA dues are priced at $520 per year and the Summit Estates district also offers walking trails that connect to the surrounding developments Dempsey quipped she has nicknamed the extended neighborhood as "CliveWaukAndale," flush with desirable executive-style homes with the common theme of quiet streets large backyards and plenty of space inside to work from home if required and the steady rise of home values in the neighborhood “Homes in this cul-de-sac are significantly higher than a lot of the homes around It’s kind of its own prestigious pocket,” she said The home is listed at $1,525,000 by Amy Dempsey of Iowa Realty Mills Crossing Urbandale's city manager of 15 years is retiring The city announced Friday in a news release that A.J “I’ve been hinting at retirement for so long that I’m surprised it’s still news,” Johnson said in the release “I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family and enjoying the community I’ve had the privilege to serve," he added where from 1981 to 1985 he was an assistant to the city manager and later an assistant city manager and Muscatine's city administrator from 1989 to 2009 Urbandale only has had two city managers in 40 years Bob Layton served in the role for 25 years Johnson is the second longest-serving city manager in the Des Moines metro area Urbandale grew from about 39,000 residents to more than 47,000 he strengthened collaborative agreements with neighboring cities on first responder services and Johnson oversaw accreditation for the city's fire and police departments Johnson has been a steady hand at the helm of Urbandale for nearly 15 years," Urbandale Mayor Bob Andeweg said in the city's release “His commitment to our community is evident in the numerous accomplishments during his tenure Through his leadership over the years with many changes and challenges along the way Urbandale is well-positioned for a very bright future," Andeweg added The city has begun its recruitment efforts to identify the next city manager but did not include a timeline in its release Johnson is a graduate of Theodore Roosevelt High School received his bachelor's degree at Wartburg College and has a master of public administration from Drake University have been married for 44 years and have two sons and two grandsons Phillip Sitter covers the western suburbs for the Des Moines Register Urbandale has become another city in the Des Moines metro to move trick-or-treating to Halloween night after a dark and stormy weather forecast this fall led to a metro-wide conversation about the tradition of Beggars' Night Urbandale City Council members voted on Tuesday night to move trick-or-treating from Beggars' Night on Oct as part of approving the meeting's consent agenda "This change will align our celebration with the broader national custom enhance the Halloween experience for participants and reduce confusion for residents and visitors," according to City Council documents A tradition started in 1938 in Des Moines to have trick-or-treating on Beggars' Night, the night before Halloween, to curb vandalism after police received a record 550 calls Bondurant and Windsor Heights had already recently started hosting trick-or-treating on the Saturday before Halloween Waukee among cities thinking about moving trick-or-treatingAnkeny made its change to Halloween night permanent when it approved the move this year because of the weather Other communities have since asked their residents what their preference would be for trick-or-treating going forward: the Saturday before Halloween city spokesperson Heather Behrens said Monday that the city had recently closed its survey and was reviewing the results from more than 1,200 responses No vote had yet been scheduled before Waukee City Council Johnston city spokesperson Janet Wilwerding said Monday that there had been 1,270 responses to Johnston's survey Johnston City Council was going to discuss the subject at Monday night's council meeting but Wilwerding said there would not be a vote Clive and West Des Moines did not immediately respond to request for comment or provide information People in Urbandale may see Tuesday's move of trick-or-treating to Halloween as a treat rather than a nightmare before Christmas responses to a survey this fall done through the Metropolitan Advisory Council showed that out of 894 respondents in Urbandale 49.2% selected Halloween as their first choice and 36.6% selected the option as their second choice Sticking with the old haunt of Beggars' Night was also outranked by the option of going with the Saturday before Halloween Urbandale Mayor Bob Andeweg proposed that the City Council officially move trick-or-treating to Oct Radiologist John Tentinger wants to create a comprehensive patient-centered health care experience in Urbandale and is starting work on a medical campus valued at $250 million or more to achieve that goal Goundbreaking was held Thursday for the Total Health Experience campus at 9300 Northpark Drive north of Interstate 35/80 and across the street from John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group corporate offices Tentinger told the Des Moines Register the main $60 million building will be the first to open when completed in 2027 The more than 25-acre campus is planned to eventually encompass nine medical buildings with a total floor space of about 265,000 square feet and Tentinger said the cost could range as high as $300 million Tentinger is owner of the Advanced Medical Imaging physician group and Innovative Radiology center and provides radiology and diagnostic oversight for Broadlawns and Pella Regional Medical Center The main building at Total Health Experience will house Innovative Radiology offering imaging and diagnostic assessments But Tentinger the complex will offer a much wider array of health services "I want people to think about their health before they get sick," he said outlining a vision for health care focused on prevention personalized care based on genetic testing and using artificial intelligence He said he wants to provide a patient experience on par with the Mayo Clinic and has been thinking about the idea for 10 years Tentinger said the first building alone will generate about 125 new jobs He said he also he wants the campus to be part of the community with its outdoor walkways connected to the city's trail system and with spaces around its retention pond for musical and other city events More: Urbandale wants to give its downtown a makeover. Here's what that may look like. Urbandale City Council member Larry McBurney won the election for Iowa House District 44 representing the northwest suburb and Des Moines Libertarian challenger Jake Heard got 35.2% McBurney said in a Des Moines Register candidate survey he would prioritize mental health care for Iowans including expanding telehealth care for rural residents I've seen firsthand how difficult it can be to navigate mental health resources in the state of Iowa," said McBurney a 38-year-old Des Moines native and Urbandale resident "Access to resources should not be siloed; Iowans seeking assistance should be able to easily identify options for care with any provider in the state." More: Who's running for Iowa House District 44 in Urbandale? Meet Jake Heard and Larry McBurney (This story was updated to add new information and because an earlier version included aninaccuracy.) F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her at ftugade@dmreg.com or follow her on Twitter @writefelissa The city of Urbandale and a private developer are working together to bring affordable housing to a larger apartment complex proposed for a part of the city in Dallas County The Urbandale City Council in February approved a development agreement with Hubbell Realty Co for the Line Seven apartment complex that would be at the southwest corner of 142nd Street and Waterford Road The development would add at least 15 affordable apartments to the city's housing stock The site plan approved in December for the project — named after an old streetcar line — proposed five 45-unit multifamily apartment buildings with a total of 225 rental units A first phase of construction would include 135 units with 15 of those units designated as affordable for families making a maximum of 60% to 80% of the area median income said it's important to add more multifamily housing in Urbandale's western neighborhoods and infuse affordability into new developments — though he said there's not a defined strategy on concentrating affordable units within larger complexes versus building standalone affordable complexes The site plan approved in December included two 22-stall garage buildings an approximately 3,140 square-foot clubhouse The multifamily buildings would be three stories tall and have combinations of studio Six units at Line Seven would be designated for people or families earning a maximum of 80% of the area median income: two one-bedroom units two two-bedroom units and two three-bedroom units Five more two-bedroom apartments and four more three-bedroom apartments would be designated for people or families earning 60% of the area median income Department of Housing and Urban Development has not yet released area median income calculations for 2025 But using 2024's numbers a family of four making 80% of the median income would earn $90,400 a year A single person making 80% of the median income would earn $63,300 Hubbell expects to close on the land for the $23.8 million project this spring The about 13 acres of land selected as the site for Line Seven is currently owned by the metro-based Kwality Custom Homes LLC Brehmer said Urbandale is prioritizing "quality attainable housing" as part of its plans for growth "We're proud to be building this new community in an established city that has a plan for forward momentum," she wrote in an email The city will provide Hubbell with a $775,000 grant for its affordable housing commitment to be issued when the apartments are certified to be ready for occupancy DeJong said there were not yet any plans for the second phase of 90 apartments and whether that would include any more affordable units One Democrat and one Libertarian are competing for an open Urbandale-based House seat that is vacant after the retirement of incumbent Rep Iowa House District 44 covers Urbandale and parts of Des Moines Libertarian attorney Jake Heard and Democratic Urbandale City Council member Larry McBurney are competing for the seat the Des Moines Register sent questions to all federal and Des Moines area legislative candidates running for political office this year Their answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity Learn More: Your Iowa Voter Guide 2024 Who is Larry McBurney?Age: 38.Party: Democrat.Where did you grow up: Des Moines.Current town of residence: Urbandale.Education: Some college.Occupation: Executive director my priority will be eliminating the Iowa income tax I've seen firsthand how difficult it can be to navigate mental health resources in the state of Iowa Access to resources should not be siloed; Iowans seeking assistance should be able to easily identify options for care with any provider in the state Expanding telehealth care across rural Iowa including expanding broadband access to broadband deserts and working to mirror neighboring state mental health care requirements to allow mental health professionals the flexibility to work across state lines are two things we could work to accomplish on day one What policies would you support to improve Iowa’s education system?Heard: Increase competition in the education system and more options for parents to send their children to increase the efficacy and overall educational value provided by schools in Iowa McBurney: Properly funding public education through state supplemental aid that Returning public money to public schools by eliminating the education savings plan Unwinding the AEA from the Department of Education and returning it to a separate entity working for all of Iowa's regions Restoring collective bargaining powers to the Iowa State Education Association and their local branches to allow teachers to negotiate better and safer working conditions Reestablishing local control for school boards to determine what literature is deemed appropriate for their districts rather than mandating it at the state level Heard: Iowa should completely remove the income tax Eliminate excess and wasteful spending in government increase sales tax or other use taxes to fill any gap in revenue This question presents a false choice that the only two options are lower rates or increasing spending It is possible to lower the state's income tax and maintain or increase services provided by government McBurney: As a current member of the Urbandale City Council I recognize the importance taxes play in our every day lives Taxes are an investment into our communities Investments such as strong public schools to create an educated workforce; good streets and reliable public safety to attract new residents; bolstered infrastructure such as bridges to keep America’s transportation system moving smoothly These are all vital to ensuring a high quality of life for our residents and it’s our responsibility to ensure our investments continue going towards improving the lives of all Iowans What policies would you support to improve school safety in Iowa?Heard: Allow schools and parents of students to decide what type of security they want locking buildings down during school hours or any other security measure chosen by the school and parents of students at that school McBurney: Given the most recent laws passed by our state Legislature guns in schools are unfortunately inevitable We should be supporting school districts to put in place public tracking of which staff are carrying what they're carrying and any associated serial numbers This is what we should do in the immediate term as we continue to work to reverse this dangerous law of arming school employees which has been shown to be historically dangerous and ineffective due to accidental discharges inadequate training of staff and increased security risks with more guns on school premises Heard: The Legislature should propose a constitutional amendment one way or the other and let the people decide whether there is a constitutional right to an abortion or not what restriction or limitations should be placed on that right The issue of abortion is such an important and personal topic I would want the people of Iowa to decide on a constitutional level what the baseline should be for when someone can (if any) and cannot get an abortion in the state of Iowa The General Assembly would only have the power to legislate within those parameters/baselines set by the people McBurney: The Legislature should work to enshrine Roe v Wade into the state constitution because everyone has the right to full bodily autonomy and the ability to make their own health care and reproductive care decisions Medicare/Medicaid should not have restrictions based on a person's reproductive health care if a doctor and their patient determine what care best fits the patient's needs Southeast Polk girls basketball eased past Urbandale The victory snapped a small two-game losing streak ending another season without a win against Central Iowa Metropolitan League opponents “Anytime you can get a win in the CIML is good,” said Southeast Polk head coach Brad Johnson Celebrating our three seniors is fun to do especially when they played pretty well and we played pretty well as a team.” More: Iowa high school basketball scores for Tuesday night Southeast Polk’s seniors – Margaret Johnson Zoe Hinze and Alyssa Bartlett – stole the show which was to be expected since two of those players have led the way for the Rams throughout the entire season Bartlett and Hinze are the key pieces on this Southeast Polk squad and are the only two players averaging in the double digits and Bartlett followed close behind with 14 The two seniors did more than just pile points onto the scoreboard three assists and at least half a dozen rebounds “We’re playing out best when we’re sharing the ball and we are setting each other up,” Johnson said so they can score the ball and they can distribute the ball and they did a great job with that tonight.” The Rams’ domination started in the first half The home team led 22-8 after one quarter of play and 44-18 by halftime It was more of the same in the second half with the Rams leading 61-33 after three quarters and Southeast Polk picking up a running clock before the end of the game and the Rams showed a lot of promise for the future Non-senior starters Halle Clark and Hallie Vander Weerdt – both sophomores – scored in the double digits and collected several steals freshman Brooklynn Ruddy scored five points and added a steal “Our freshman class is kind of the stability of our program,” Johnson said “They have a lot of girls out and they’re all good athletes and we have some good sophomores and juniors that can step in next year Urbandale boys basketball played the villain in their matchup against Southeast Polk The Rams celebrated senior night on Tuesday but it was the J-Hawks who walked away with the win and improved to 7-11 on the season; the Rams dropped to 5-14 It was all Urbandale from the first quarter on The J-Hawks held a seven-point lead after the first frame and were up by 11 at halftime Urbandale never made its lead big enough to get a running clock but Southeast Polk never managed to make a significant dent in the J-Hawks' advantage either Jake Pargeon and Davis Hardersen led Urbandale on the scoreboard and Hardersen finished as the leading scorer with 17 points Hardersen contributed a lot off the scoreboard tallying a pair of steals and several defensive rebounds Urbandale’s big man Caleb Hadden finished with eight points but he made a major difference in the paint He came away with three blocked shots – including two early in the first quarter He added seven offensive and defensive rebounds and a couple of steals Southeast Polk’s Emmanuel Tete finished with 13 points as the Rams’ leading scorer Iowa — Grown men and women alike dream of the perfectly manicured greens hoping for an opportunity to just see it in person one day Urbandale’s 10-year-old rising golfer Brooklynn Conard got to do that and more last week Brooklynn made it to compete at the 2025 Drive Chip & Putt National Finals at Augusta She was one of only 80 junior golfers in the country to qualify I was a little baby,” her dad Eric Conard said Brooklynn competed on Sunday and finished in 4th place in the 10-11 girls age group “I was so nervous and I didn’t want to let her know,” her dad said “But when she went up — I would have probably thrown up if I was a kid I just hit my second one without any nervousness I didn’t even feel nervous at all,” she said “I don’t think she truly understood who she was as it relates to golf but her mom and I would tell her constantly I don’t think she really understood until just now,” Eric said “And now I think she totally gets it because of that place It doesn’t matter where you’ve played golf at Part of the competition included putting on the historic 18th hole at Augusta Many would pay good money for an opportunity like that I just couldn’t believe it,” Brooklynn said I think happy jealous would be a good way of looking at it,” her dad said “I think when I hear ‘jealous’ it’s usually from the men like Including from where she spends a lot of her time practicing at the Urban Dreams Community Center in Des Moines where they have one of the best simulators in the area And now Brooklynn is inspiring others kids “It’s like it’s amazing to have somebody from Iowa so young to make it that far and and get on a national stage,” State Senator and Urban Dreams Executive Director Izaah Knox said “So it inspires a bunch of people to come here and play golf and get better.” Brooklynn still has several golf goals ahead like playing in college in Florida and going pro with the LPGA she wants to return to Augusta next year and take home first place in this competition An upcoming road closure will affect drivers for a month while trying to get from Douglas Avenue in Urbandale to Interstate 35/80 the northbound entrance ramp and northbound entrance loop from Douglas Avenue to I-35/80 will be closed so the northbound pavement from south of Douglas Avenue north to Meredith Drive can be widened according to the Iowa Department of Transportation A marked detour will take drivers to the interstate from Douglas via Northwest Urbandale Drive The Iowa DOT reminded motorists to "drive with caution obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones More information from Iowa DOT is available at 511ia.org by calling 511 in Iowa or 800-288-1047 nationwide staying connected with 511 on Facebook or X