I grew up in the suburbs of Des Moines, and after too many long drives back to Waukee from a night out, I decided to move downtown. I’ve lived downtown since the fall of 2005, and haven’t regretted it.

While I work clear out on the western side of West Des Moines, I really don’t mind the commute. It’s a reverse commute that takes about 20 minutes.

Living downtown is awesome because there always seems to be things available to do that aren’t too far away from where I live. There are shops, dining, entertainment, and fitness opportunities available within the downtown area. Having these cultural amenities near me was a big selling point when I chose to live here. While living in the suburbs, everything was really spread out, and the houses were practically the same. I never really met the neighbors, and my car was a necessity to do anything outside of the home. Downtown offers interesting architectural elements and plenty of things to look at while going on a walk, jog, bike ride, or even just looking out the window.

Since moving downtown, I have lived in three neighborhoods: Downtown Core, East Village, and Western Gateway. Downtown Core offered me protection from the elements when I used the Skywalk system to travel around to my destinations. Living in the East Village was a blast, and I felt really connected to the city when I lived above locally owned shops and hung out with the shop owners. So far, living in Western Gateway has offered me quick access to Gray’s Lake, the public library, and Western Gateway Park. While each neighborhood has its own unique features and charm, they unite as downtown. Kinda weird but at times, I feel that downtown is a city within a city. Within this city I can find most of what I need on a day-to-day basis, and that’s why I live downtown.

Posted under Living Downtown, Moving Downtown
Tags: Downtown Core | East Village | Western Gateway