Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Something about the East Village of Des Moines seems strangely familar

First, to be honest, I was unaware there was an East Village in Des Moines, Iowa.



Anyway, this article from yesterday's Des Moines Register shows that we have something in common with their East Village:

Land in the East Village that currently houses a 1930s-era terra cotta gas station will be redeveloped into a paved parking lot next month.


Namely, stupid, rampant development...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

EV, I grew up in Des Moines, and now I live in Chinatown.That neighborhood was awesome before it became "the East Village". Now it's over a thousand bucks a month to live in an "authentic loft"! In Des Moines! They must be using the current model of your neighborhood....D:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the comment! ... Sounds as if city leaders have the best of intentions, but the marketing copy seems to lay it on pretty thick...

"...home to hip eateries, boutiques and loft-style housing.

The East Village is a work in progress but one thing is for sure: The neighborhood offers a bit of culture, character and funky charm that can’t be found at your local mall."

What do you think?

Anonymous said...

Total puke! It USED to have character - abandoned buildings, Asian grocery stores, gay bars and a super bare-bones pool hall/arcade. There used to be an art loft where pretty much every freak in town saw their first show (thrash, surf and new wave on one bill!). Now it's expensive coffee shops, upscale furniture, and the old Army/Navy now houses a restaurant that was serving "lamb lollipops" last time I was home. Well, there's still the north side.:D Thanks for posting this EV; I always enjoy your take on things.