What needs changing in Ames first?

I attneded college in Ames and I've attended college in Ottumwa. Ames is NO Ottumwa.

I really love Ames. I have a family and would love to raise my kids in town such as Ames or better Gilbert.

One of the benefits that Ames has is a small town atmosphere with access to major entertainment venues.

I think one of the things Ames needs to do is partner some how with companies in Des Moines. Either open satelite operations in Ames or create a commuting pipline to Des Moines via bus or train.

Ames needs to jump on the Corridor concept with Des Moines that Iowa City and Cedar Rapids have, I-380 is a very busy place in both directions.
 
Anybody from class of 199-whatever want to attest to how much Ames HAS changed in the last 10+ years.

ALL the restaurants on South Duff are fairly new. EVERYTHING pretty much west of Towers wasn't even there 10 or so years ago - aside from the apts on Mortensen and east of South Dakota. Otherwise, that was corn.

Most all the Hy Vee's, Targets, SAM's, WalMarts, Lowes, etc have ALL been built or rebuilt in the last 10 years.

Any of the developement north of 24th street was pretty much non-existant, with the exception of the presidents streets. I used to live on Top-o-Hollow and that was the booneys back then.

Campustown is a shadow of it's former self. However it does need a McD's.

Everytime I come into town, I hardly recognize the place.
 
Actually, aren't housing prices normally lower in college towns? Not ALL jobs related to the University are paying that well. I know Gainesville, FL has some of the lowest $/sf in all of Florida. In fact, my brother is looking to buy a brand new house there and the ones he is looking at are around $95/sf. Similar houses in Ames are around $131/sq.ft. Ankeny is around $105/sqft.

Not really. College towns tend to be more because of the professional jobs. Gaineville is a little different. Its in the middle of the state, not on the coast where there are beaches, where its hot humid and mosquitoee (not a word). Its also the 'red neck' area of Florida so they don't even really have tourist jobs either.
 
Not really. College towns tend to be more because of the professional jobs. Gaineville is a little different. Its in the middle of the state, not on the coast where there are beaches, where its hot humid and mosquitoee (not a word). Its also the 'red neck' area of Florida so they don't even really have tourist jobs either.

I think alot of the property immediately surrounding the university, especially a larger one like ISU, might be inflated as well since it's typically going to be good income property.

That might lend itself to the overall values and raise the market.

Anyway - is the real topic for most purchasing? Or is it renting costs? I looked at a few homes (to buy) a little while back and didn't think they were all that out of line with DSM. However I do remember moving to DSM and renting my first few years at a much lower rate than I ever did in Ames - nicer place (sorta) to boot.
 
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My 2 cents.

They key employers in Ames (ISU, USDA, DOE) compete nationally for their core workers (not with places like Ankeny). To the extent those people’s employment decisions are based on location, these key employers will tend to attract workers who like to be on top of their game professionally, which ISU and its associated research labs allow, while also living in a small town, which Ames allows. You don’t move to Iowa because you crave the glamour of big city living. Like everything else, Ames should continue to evolve, but it would be ill-advised to try to turn it into an Ankeny.
 
Pancheros = owned/run by a huge Hawkeye fan

Me = NEVER go to Pancheros

I go to Flying Burrito if I need a big burrito. This may sound stupid to some but if I see 2 things as being essentially equal, I'll hit up a local business rather than fork over more $$ to a Hawkeye.
Flying Burrito is flat-out better than Panchero's is, and I grew up eating Panchero's. I couldn't care less if a business is owned by someone that graduated from the University of Iowa- if they provide a service I want to pay for, and they are the best ones around to do it, then I will happily pay for it regardless of where they spent their time 40 years ago. I understand the rivalry, but sheesh- that's taking it to an extreme. Hopefully you never need to go to a doctor, since most of the ones in Iowa come out of the UI.
 
Not really. College towns tend to be more because of the professional jobs. Gaineville is a little different. Its in the middle of the state, not on the coast where there are beaches, where its hot humid and mosquitoee (not a word). Its also the 'red neck' area of Florida so they don't even really have tourist jobs either.

True, but there is also the largest hospital in the State UF/Shands and a large Nationwide office so there are plenty of jobs, probably more high paying jobs than Ames. I will agree that outside of city limits is Hick Ville USA.
 
Flying Burrito is flat-out better than Panchero's is, and I grew up eating Panchero's. I couldn't care less if a business is owned by someone that graduated from the University of Iowa- if they provide a service I want to pay for, and they are the best ones around to do it, then I will happily pay for it regardless of where they spent their time 40 years ago. I understand the rivalry, but sheesh- that's taking it to an extreme. Hopefully you never need to go to a doctor, since most of the ones in Iowa come out of the UI.

I said that if I want something and 2 places are equal with their products I will purposefully not go to the one owned/ran by a Hawk fan. Why is that so weird? I also have boycotted the Red Lobster in Ames since September when they sent over a "Hawkeye only" treat to the RV t.v. guys.
 
I attneded college in Ames and I've attended college in Ottumwa. Ames is NO Ottumwa.

I've lived in Boulder, CO, Iowa City and Oskaloosa and Ames. Ames is closer to Ottumwa or Fort Dodge in the business climate / retail sector than it is to Iowa City or Boulder.

With the mind-boggling exception of Wal-Mart the City and a lot of anti-business zealots make it very hard for businesses to get in here. The mall is a well known issue, but if you are interested you should talk with the folks at Best Buy or Olde Main Brewing about the rigamarole it took to open in Ames. People are going to do business, it just depends if it's in your community or not.
 
Anybody from class of 199-whatever want to attest to how much Ames HAS changed in the last 10+ years.

Campustown is a shadow of it's former self. However it does need a McD's.

How so? I go to Iowa State right now and am just curious as to how it's changed.
 
How so? I go to Iowa State right now and am just curious as to how it's changed.


The Welch area in general and Duff. When I was there in 99 there were not many high rise apts. The Towers were still all there. There was no Best Buy. The Duff Movie theaters were just brand new. Places to eat were abundant, but they have alot more variety I personally think. Heck even campus is different than it used to be. Huge new buildings. We used to go over to the NG mall to the 2 dollar theater there which was a great deal! Not anymore. When I was in Ames last time I went into the Satay house on Lincoln and realized it doubled in size and changed its atmosphere. There is definitely progress in Ames today.
 
The smart growth people are the most annoying. They claim if we build a mall, we'll lose revenue to the existing stores.....they don't realize how many times people go to Des Moines to shop.
 
My 2 cents....

Shopping in Ames does suck. No two ways about it - and no I'm not a big shopper

That said, even with a new mall we won't have anything like the Jordan Creek town center or anything like that, so I'd settle for getting a Younkers or something. We're getting a Super Wal-mart in March, so that'll improve that option for those not morally opposed to Wal-mart

As for buffets - there is a chinese buffet by the movie theater but the food isn't that great :no:

What I think really needs to change is an improvement on transportation to the shopping - Cyride is fine as long as the only places you want to go to are Hy-Vee or the North Grand mall - otherwise you're out of luck.

Target, Best Buy, Borders, K-mart, soon to be Wal-mart, the big movie theater, the over priced bowling alley, and a whole strip of resteraunts are only serviced by the Yellow route. Maybe things have changes since I got a car but that was a route that only ran limited hours and ran once every 40 minutes - thats just unacceptable for your biggest shopping district in town.

Everyone is saying that Campus Town needs a face lift - I agree but it'll take a lot of help, I've seen a number of businesses come and go there. City is going to have to step up with that one, though I know they've looked into it some.

What I think would be a nice improvement is better transportation between Ames and Des Moines for those that don't have cars. ISU sets up (or has set up) Cy-Ride shuttles to the Des Moines Airport at the beganning/end of semesters, but I think a bus that ran to Des Moines regularly would be good. Make stops at the Airport, Jordan Creek Mall (because Ames can NOT compete with it that mall), and *gasp* maybe the Wellsfargo arena (I would prefer to see a commitment to upgrade Hilton and modernize it so we can steal back our business from the Wellsfargo Arena, but if that won't happen then...)

While that is not an ideal solution for Ames growth, it would be a reasonable compromise - controlled growth for the small townies with and better shopping for the yougin's. If nothing else better buses in town is a must - a transportation route to Des Moines would be nice


And for those that think traffic in Ames is bad after football games, try going on the road. Not only do we have some of the best parking for games, you can't get much closer to the interstate than we do, and we've got a freak'n boulevard to take us there.
Yes there is room for improvement, but having been to about 8 or 9 of the Big XII stadiums, we've got it pretty damn good in Ames.


The timing of the traffic lights does suck... though that might be intentional... (we can't have people speeding through our town now can we?) I do avoid Duff and Lincoln east of Elwood/University Blvd when I can though... I've got a few smaller roads I like to take to put me where I want to be on Duff rather thand drive Lincoln and Duff, but as others have pointed out traffic in Ames is nothing - either instate (try Cedar Rapids) or out of State (try I grew up in a place that depending on the time of day was 15 minutes to 2 hours drive from Washington D.C., and that is not an exageration)
 
There is a Pizza Ranch now. There's your buffet. As for Chipotle did you hear that there is one coming to Valley West?

And King Buffet, I heard about Chipotle yesterday and am wayyy pumped, cant wait for April when it opens. Flying burrito is ok, I dont like the beef and way too much rice.

All I have to say is Dangerous Curves...:err: thats right, i went to that topic
 
Pancheros = owned/run by a huge Hawkeye fan

Me = NEVER go to Pancheros

I go to Flying Burrito if I need a big burrito. This may sound stupid to some but if I see 2 things as being essentially equal, I'll hit up a local business rather than fork over more $$ to a Hawkeye.

Agree and thanks for letting us know that Pancheros is owned by a Hawk - I'll never go there again.:notworthy:
 
My 2 cents....

Shopping in Ames does suck. No two ways about it - and no I'm not a big shopper

..........

Wow, did you start typing that this morning? =) I agree with your post. Transportation is a little rough or at least it was when I was there. We do have some of the best traspo in college life though. Just wish they would expand on it a little more. However, Ames isnt so big where you couldnt make some sacrifices here or there. Im not a big shopper so I didnt care what was available in Ames really. They had a GAP which was good enough for me in most cases.
 

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