Urbandale wants to give its downtown a makeover. Here's what that may look like.

Urbandale wants a downtown that's friendlier to families, bicyclists and pedestrians, has more space for parking, events and local businesses, and that can accommodate breweries and outdoor patios.

Those general desires were established in the city's Forward Urbandale Comprehensive Plan in December 2023 but Urbandale City Council recently hired a consultant to come up with specific recommendations and action steps to make those updates happen. Council members on June 18 approved a $160,000 agreement with the engineering and planning firm Bolton & Menk to create specific recommendations on potential capital projects and ordinance and policy changes needed to realize the city's vision for a downtown makeover.

"This is not another study. This brings our (comprehensive) plan to clear action steps," Curtis Brown, assistant city manager, told the City Council.

That means once work on the downtown master plan is completed — which is expected to be in summer 2025 — "we'll be bringing policy recommendations to the council," including zoning changes and recommended projects, Brown said.

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.

The city expected in its comprehensive plan that redevelopment at the mall, like plans for a sports arena in the old Younkers, will stimulate growth downtown. It hopes to piggy-back off those plans to create pedestrian access to the arena and enable downtown to function as a "collective district and regional destination" with the mall.

"Everyone is eager to see a transformation that will bring more businesses, housing, and amenities" downtown, Aaron DeJong, Urbandale's economic development director, said in a news release.

More: Buccaneers, Merle Hay close to arena deal; mall CEO says construction could start in fall

How different might downtown Urbandale look and feel in the future?

The city noted in its comprehensive plan of its desires for downtown: "In no way is this a recommendation to completely redevelop the area, but rather to focus on facade and site improvements to assist existing local businesses and improve the overall conditions of the neighborhood."

But that's not to say there wouldn't be major and visible changes.

The plan called for development of more mixed-use commercial, residential, civic and recreational properties. And the city would like buildings to reach up to sidewalks, with main entrances to be along Douglas Avenue. Parking would be in the rear or on side streets.

But there aren't big enough lots in some areas and there's already limited parking. The city's comprehensive plan recommended that some roads that currently reach Douglas Avenue instead end in cul-de-sacs. That would allow space for buildings to be placed on the former sites of the roads and cut down on traffic on residential streets, but still allow for bicycle and pedestrian access to Douglas Avenue.

On Douglas Avenue itself, the plan recommended taking out traffic lanes to slow down cars, add on-street parking and bike lanes, and widen sidewalks.

It's also recommended that public parking lots be added that could double as event space for farmers markets, outdoor music, food trucks and festivals. And a more prominent feature such as an archway across Douglas Avenue could be a bigger and more noticeable downtown gateway marker than the fountain that is south of Merle Hay Mall.

The city would like to rebrand downtown to identify it as a destination. "Downtown Urbandale should become known as the preferred location for unique businesses in the city," the plan noted.

Those businesses may include maker spaces and cottage industries such as candle and soap makers, screen printers, small brewers, specialty food creators, small-scale jewelers or furniture reupholster and refinishing shops, and arts and crafts including pottery, weaving and paint studios.

But the city's commercial zoning ordinances may need updates to allow for those kinds of businesses as well as outdoor dining and drinking patios.

The city plans for Bolton & Menk to gather and incorporate feedback from downtown business and property owners as well as other community stakeholders.

Tiffany Menke, president of the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce, told the Des Moines Register in an email she is excited to work with area businesses and the city on this effort.

"The City’s revitalization effort is not just about buildings and infrastructure; it's about creating a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving community where people want to be – where they want to live, work, and visit," Menke added.

Phillip Sitter covers the western suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Urbandale wants to give its downtown a makeover. Here's what that may look like.