Drake University - Quax Yearbook (Des Moines, IA)

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Torn Kinseilo QED goes book to noture for his Bio. 4 cioss ot the Botoniccil Center. The Droke University Metro Center: downtown's mini odrnissions office. The Des Moines Art Center: beouty inside COG out. Ee.. 2 3 . si C hair.. - :wk -a

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Droke's new development rests on o solid foundation. bronching out New fooe for The old neighborhood t was a gray and rainy day ear- ly in May, 1986 when J. Mi- chael Earley, president of Hawkeye Bank and Trust, helped other dignitaries break the ground for construction on four sites east of Drake's campus. He told the crowd the groundbreak- ing ceremonies were the compre- hensive revival of a great neigh- borhood with a great future. Many did not think the future of the neighborhood would be that rosy. William Knapp, chief executive officer of Iowa Realty, said of the neighborhood, Some- thing had to be done in the Drake area to make a turn around be- cause it had been going down and down for several years. Today, the area east of campus between 23rd and 25th Streets, formerly known as Dogtown, is the site of more than S12 million in new development. Now called University Square, it is the new home for Old Main Apartments, Drake Diner, the Neal and Bea Smith Legal Clinic, Drake Uni- versity Inn and Zander's Cream- ery. Our goal was to make the area one of the best places in town, not one of the poorest. We wanted it to be a place where it's much more comfortable to walk and feel se- cure, said Richard Peebler, presi- dent of the non-profit Drake-Des Moines Development Corpora- tion, which was formed in 1984 to coordinate the revitalization ef- forts. Wilbur Miller, Drake Presi- dent until 1985, and Ken Austin, a Drake trustee who served as the development corporation's first president, originated the idea. The first project constructed was the 108 unit Old Main Apart- ment complex, completed at a cost just over S4 million. The Drake University Inn opened in March of 1987, but had been filled to ca- pacity for Relays weekend since February. Drake was a partner in this project costing an estimated 3152.2 million. In November of 1987, the Drake Diner opened. Peebler said he thinks the Art Deco style diner will give a cos- mopoliton flavor to the Drake area. Another major development to open in the, area was Drake's legal clinic. Made possible by a S4 mil- lion grant from the U.S. Congress, the clinic was dedicated at a cere- mony held in October of 1987, and attended by former U.S. Su- preme Court Iustice Warren Burger, Congressman Neal Smith and his wife Bea. The building is staffed by Drake law school stu- dents and faculty, who handle cases for those who are unable to afford other legal services. All the development has at- tracted new business and made lenders more willing to loan mon- ey for projects in the Drake area. From accounts of all those in- volved, the revitalization effort has been a cooperative one with all sides reaping the benefits. Debbie Entine, owner of Zander's Creamery, summed up the rela- tionship when she said, Drake has a lot to offer and we've got a lot to offer. It's going to be a long- term, wonderful relationship. Drake Development 5

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- - branching out - - - - Learning: A partnership with the community When the walls of the class- room begin to close in, an over- dose of Nodoz is necessary to keep plowing through the books, and the keys on the computer are nothing but an electronic jungle, it's quite a relief to know that our own capital city offers a variety of alternatives to learning. Along the winding Des Moines River is the Botanical Center, a giant terrarium filled with exotic flowers and plants. Here students wander through the miniature tropical paradise searching for the genus and phylum of plants, trees and flowers, and take in the re- freshing air of the midwestern jungle. A few miles down the road is the gold-covered dome of the state capitol. Underneath lies not only a history of Des Moines and Iowa, but a splendid opportunity in politics. Year after year, students benefit from internships working under the governor. awww! Across town in the Greenwood Park neighborhood is the Art Center. Here, students of photog- raphy wallow in its unusual ar- chitecture which makes some in- triguing photos in daylight and at night. Inside, the beauty lingers on the walls filled with painting and sculpture. These works of art provide perfect subjects for stu- dents in creative writing. Through the timber is the Science Center. This building is loaded with a history of science as well as the latest in technological inven- tion. Des Moines provides an ideal atmosphere for students with its centers for learning scattered throughout the city. To take ad- vantage of a Drake education is to take advantage of Des Moines! So, the next time those classroom walls start closing in, why not hop on the bus and take an intel- lectual break! If it starts to rain, step into the Civic Center because the Des Moines Umbrella could leave you all wet.