By Paul Beeman, Wesley Homes Des Moines Resident
As Wesley Homes conceives a new, up-scale south side for The Gardens apartments and cottages and finalizes a redesign of The Terrace with a contemporary entrance, bistro and social area, we are not the only ones modernizing. All around us, our City of Des Moines and its neighbors are strutting with the latest in urban advances.
Seattle’s new light rail system is joining our area, building the elevated railway alongside International Boulevard. The new Angle Lake Station spanning 200th Street is nearing completion, soon to give us a fast trip to downtown Seattle and eventually to the University of Washington.
As the newest gem in our small city’s modernization, the splendid new Artemis Hotel is under construction. It will literally overlook the city. This luxury hostelry will offer a fine American-style restaurant, plus a modern dining room serving authentic Chinese food. Its construction continues on International Blvd at 224th. The Chinese investor anticipates his entire facility will earn a 4-star hotel rating.
Want to take a refreshing hike nearby yet visually away from the city? The recently paved Des Moines Creek Trail follows the lovely Des Moines Creek as it meanders over a mile and a half through old-growth forest and ends at the beautiful Des Moines Beach Park. This park was once the site of a lumber mill and its mill pond, but now Des Moines Beach Park offers two spacious meadows for lounging, recreation and occasional jazz concerts. On some summer days at low tide, professional naturalists are available to introduce you to vast colonies of usually underwater beach life. In the fall, you might see salmon spawning up-stream. You could even stumble onto a once secret trail where – during Prohibition years – stealthy, midnight deliveries of Canadian moonshine were off-loaded for sale to thirsty pioneers.
Finally, if you love boating, walk across to the Des Moines marina, beautifully rebuilt two years ago and seeking to become a tourist destination. And yes, that is Mount Rainier peeking over the southeastern horizon. You can venture to the end of the fishing pier where many families go crabbing and then stroll down the concrete boardwalk past endless moorage piers. Notice the long breakwater. It was made of concrete slabs retrieved from Seattle’s World War II bomb shelters. Envy the owners of the many sized crafts, from luxury, ocean-going cabin cruisers to little live-boards. By the end of your walk, you’ll be ready to stop in the lovely Anthony’s Sea Food Restaurant for an unforgettable shrimp cocktail and the best clam chowder this side of Maine.
These are a few of the most memorable current and up and coming locations in Des Moines—modern, expanding and welcoming. You’ll see that Wesley Homes, just launching its contemporary renovations, is surrounded by a community that loves preparing for the future.
Wesley Homes is not only looking to the future in Des Moines. The Lea Hill Health Center construction is well under way with a completion date set for early 2016. Wesley Homes’ newest campus, Bradley Park in Puyallup, will begin construction in late 2015 to early 2016.
For more information on the Lea Hill Health Center, visit our Blog
For more information on Bradley Park, visit the campaign page here
