West Des Moines office park could become neighborhood
A sprawling West Des Moines office park that once housed some of the metro's prominent companies could be transformed into apartments, shops and a hotel. Why it matters: Regency West is a mostly vacant, dated office park in a prominent spot next to Interstate 235. Catch up quick: The first Regency West building was constructed in 1981, eventually growing into an eight-building office park along Westown Parkway. The office park, built by Des Moines businessman Marvin Pomerantz, once housed major companies including ITA Group, Equifax, MetLife, Sammons and Holmes Murphy. Over the years, however, tenants have left for newer facilities, while the pandemic also reduced the need for space. R&R Realty purchased the property in 2012 and sold it to Chicago-based Bradford Allen in 2025. State of play: Today, the office park is under 30% capacity with 600,000 square feet of space. Its valuation has dramatically dropped, going from a $52 million assessed valuation in 2023 to just $17 million in 2026. West Des Moines is considering a new tax incentive for the area to help pay for redevelopment costs, says the city's economic development director, Ryan Moffatt. What they're saying: Bradford Allen wants to turn the property into a