DMPS On The Move to New Offices
A new sign is installed in front of the DMPS district offices at 2323 Grand Avenue.
Several Des Moines Public Schools offices are in the process of moving to a new location.
Last year the school district purchased the building at 2323 Grand Avenue, which was originally the headquarters for Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company and most recently was the Iowa Lottery office building. Over the past several months upgrades to things such as heating & cooling and technology systems along with setting up office space has been underway, and the moving process has now begun.
By Monday, May 4 the following offices will be located at the new building:
- Superintendent
- Office of Academics
- Office of Schools
- Business & Finance
- Human Resources
- Payroll
- Communications (including DMPS-TV)
The mailing address of the new office building is 2323 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312. The new office will also have new hours as the reception desk will be staffed from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. All phone numbers and email addresses remain the same.
Three district offices – Activities, Internal Audit and Metro Kids – will be located on the 6th floor of district’s current offices at 901 Walnut Street for the near future. In addition, Student Records is moving to the DMPS Welcome Center, located at 1301 2nd Avenue.
Some of the key benefits that result from moving the DMPS administrative offices include:
Expand Downtown Educational Choices:
- As both downtown housing and corporate offices continue to expand, the district has a need for more downtown classroom space.
- The Walnut Street School turns away approximately 50 kindergarten students each year due to lack of space.
- The Walnut Street School is currently a two-section school with nearly 300 students.
- Remodeling additional space at 901 Walnut Street, currently used for district offices, is a cost-effective way to enable the school to grow to a three section school, or more, over time.
More Efficient DMPS Office Space
- 2323 Grand Avenue uses an existing building for district offices, saving several million dollars in new construction costs.
- The building is centrally located within the school district and adjacent to downtown, providing easier and more convenient access for visitors.
- The building is in “move in” condition for the school district with the only major change being upgrades to more efficient mechanical systems to lower operational costs.
- The building includes 110 parking spaces, saving more than $80,000 per year the district currently spends on downtown parking for employees.
Once the move is completed in early May, work will begin on the 5th floor of the 901 Walnut Street building in order to expand the Walnut Street School, and better meet the growing interest in this International Baccalaureate school.
