Roosevelt Cultural District to Break Ground This Month on 42nd Street Streetscape Project

The Roosevelt Cultural District (RCD) is breaking ground on the 42nd Street Streetscape Project, 5:30 PM, Tuesday, May 16. The ceremonial shovel turning will be held at the district's southeast entrance, on the grounds of the Des Moines Community Playhouse.

Christine Hensley, Angela Connolly, and other city and county officials will participate. A reception featuring food and drink provided by RCD businesses will be held at The Playhouse immediately following. The event is free and open to the public.

For more than 10 years, the RCD has worked with the City of Des Moines to design a cohesive, beautiful streetscape that addresses critical issues such as traffic congestion, the safety of school children, and pedestrians, and beautification.

Improvements in the $1.7 million project making the district safer, prettier, and more visitor-friendly include:

- utilities moved underground, simultaneously improving the sewer system and making the landscape less cluttered

- streamlined traffic flow adding a middle turn lane and a bus lane in front of the theatre

- reconfigured parking in front of shops for easier access

- landscaping, green space and amenities making the district more accessible for cultural events, public art, and more.

Plans are available on the RCD website, rooseveltculturaldistrict.org.

Preliminary work on the project is already underway, with major construction running May through November 2017. There will be access to area businesses throughout the project. Up-to-date information on the streetscape project, including street closures, will be posted at rooseveltculturaldistrict.org and Facebook.com/Roosevelt-Cultural-District.

The Roosevelt Cultural District is a certified historic district comprised of 29 business. The RCD undertakes activities that preserve and promote the area as an arts, education, and commerce resource for Greater Des Moines, and acts as a communication and organizational hub for neighborhoods it connects.