How can we make Iowa more appealing (Cedar Rapids, Dubuque: apartments, renters)

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

No kidding!

I've lived in Des Moines since 2001, and the changes that have taken place here in the last 5 years alone are amazing. Some of the things the poster you are referring to have been implemented. (bikes lanes on the streets, for example....like Ingersol)

I find Des Moines to be quite diverse, really. Not as much as other parts of the country, maybe, but at my own place of employment I interact with people from all parts of the world with interesting stories of how and why they landed here.

I actually moved away in 2001, but I come back probably 4-6 times a year to Iowa (been back twice in the past two weeks, was back in August, going back in two weeks and again at Christmas). From growing up there in the 80's and 90's to seeing what Des Moines and Iowa City (the two I'm most familiar with) have done in the past 15 years or so is quite impressive. Des Moines has really come out of it's 1970-1995 funk and really started to hold its head up high.

My uncle was back last summer to Iowa City and my parents and I took him to Des Moines (where he grew up with my mom) where he hadn't been in about 10 years. We ended up driving through West Des Moines cruising around town to check out the newer parts and he just kept saying "jes** chri** - they've sold out!!". He's been in suburban areas of DC for the past 30 years, and WDM was really reminding him of that area.

[UKUKUK]

I won't be driving through again or visiting until the speed cameras are gone.

[steel03]

Originally Posted by Chicago_Guy312

In Des Moines (which is where I used to live), this is not the case. It's a drive-everywhere lifestyle, chain restaurants, and plastic houses. The majority of young people, I'd say, are not looking for a plastic house in the suburbs of Des Moines, IA. They want something more exciting. But Iowa has a hard time offering that- so it loses a lot of its young professional talent to other urban centers around the country.

Des Moines actually has very few chain restaurants for a city its size. It's changed a great deal since you lived there, I can tell you that. I wouldn't call it the "Portland of the Midwest," since I think the Twin Cities have been doing that for decades. But I might call it the Minneapolis of Iowa.

[RememberMee]

Cutting corn and soybean acreage would definitely make Iowa more appealing to me. It's a corn and soybean desert as it is. Bring some variety for somebody's sake.

[ElleTea]

Moving the entire state someplace where it doesn't snow and doesn't get very cold would make it really appealing for me! I've decided this is my last winter here. I'm so DONE with snow!

(it snowed today and I'm grouchy because of it! )

[capitalcityguy]

Originally Posted by UKUKUK

I won't be driving through again or visiting until the speed cameras are gone.

The speed camaras on I-235 don't ticket you unless you're 10 miles an hour over the speed limit. Is that beyond anyone's self-control? If you can't handle that, we'd just a soon you don't drive through.

[Craziaskowboi]

Big rims and hip-hop videos. That's what the kids like these days.

Oh yeah, and beaches!

[UKUKUK]

Originally Posted by capitalcityguy

The speed camaras on I-235 don't ticket you unless you're 10 miles an hour over the speed limit. Is that beyond anyone's self-control? If you can't handle that, we'd just a soon you don't drive through.

I'm talking 380. You know, that incredibly slow 55mph zone which would be a 70mph in equally flat Indiana.

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by h20loo-iowa

Iowa has know cities,too many small towns and way too many counties. Iowa needs too merge connecting cities and towns, and when times get better some type of pro sports, and please stop electing old fart farmers with no creativity too run the state,they seems to be stuck in the 80's.other then this there is no hope in iowa.

A better educational system?

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by UKUKUK

I won't be driving through again or visiting until the speed cameras are gone.

Honestly, we don't care.