Des Moines Seeks Input on Reuse of Former Fire Station No. 4

The City of Des Moines is seeking input from the public, developers, and business owners to determine the future use of the former Fire Station No. 4, located at 917 University Ave. The effort to repurpose the site follows the relocation of the station to a new facility at 1505 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway on March 10, 2026.

The new Station #4 was established to improve emergency response times and provide better service to residents in the northwest portion of the city. According to Des Moines Fire Chief Jonathan Lund, the new location ensures that firefighters have a modern facility capable of meeting current operational demands.

Community Engagement and Redevelopment Process

To guide the redevelopment of the site at 9th and University, the city has organized a series of community engagement opportunities. These include an online survey and two open houses where stakeholders can tour the building, learn about the redevelopment process, and share ideas for the site’s reuse.

The open house dates are scheduled for:

• Tuesday, April 7, 2026, from 5 p.m. To 7 p.m.
• Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10 a.m. To 12 p.m.

Breann Bye, an economic development project manager for the city, noted that the station has been a part of the neighborhood for decades. She stated that the city wants to hear from residents and stakeholders regarding how the site can support a broader vision for the area.

Future Planning and Timeline

The feedback gathered from the open houses and the online survey will be used to inform a future Request for Proposals (RFP). This document, which the city expects to release in May 2026, will outline the redevelopment expectations and the desired future uses for the property.

The transition was necessary because the old station, which was the second-oldest in the city, no longer met the modern operational needs required for emergency services.