Photo: JD Snover
(Des Moines, IA) -- Expansions are coming to a Des Moines music venue. Plans are sent forward for a portion of the old Fire Station Number 11 building in the Drake neighborhood to become an auxiliary space for xBk Live.
Tobi Parks is the owner of the venue.
"The intent is not to actually increase the overall occupancy of xBk," Parks says. "The facility is 277 occupants. The ancillary space is not intended to add to that."
Rather, it will be a space for private parties earlier in the day, a community space for local artists to meet and a second bar for concertgoers.
"We have a lot of events that happen in conjunction with Drake University," Parks says. "Different types of community meetings as well as trying to create other creative opportunities for the local creatives in Des Moines. There's not a lot of those."
Some neighboring businesses argued limited parking could be an issue. NAJ LLC, owners of neighboring Irene's Flowers, left a comment card for the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
"They do not have adequate parking," it reads. "Vehicles will end up in other parking lots owned by other businesses."
But Parks says she has that taken care of.
"We actually have a parking agreement with Drake University for their properties over by [Irene's]," Parks says. "I think they may be thinking that some of our patrons who think they're parking on Drake parking are actually parking on his lot. And we can do some things to alleviate that."
A bookstore is expected for the unused portion of the old fire building.