The Des Moines City Council received a capital projects update May 22 that detailed progress and funding for three linked projects: the recently finished Memorial Triangle, the redesign and pending permitting for the Redondo Fishing Pier, and value‑engineering work on the Marina Steps project.

The update matters because the projects are funded with a mix of bond proceeds and grants and the council in February directed staff to prioritize and value‑engineer the steps while pushing the pier as the top bond‑funded priority. City staff said Memorial Triangle is complete and will have a ribbon cutting; the pier redesign reduces in‑water piling work and, pending written Corps of Engineers approval, staff expects to advertise the pier for bids in early June.

Public Works staff and the project manager said the pier redesign reduced the vertical piling work required under the original permit (larger pilings required deeper excavation and concrete fill) and that the U.S. Army Corps has given verbal approval to the amended permit; staff said they expect the Corps’ letter soon and, if received, will advertise the pier on June 5 with an anticipated award in July and in‑water construction beginning in August. The revised pier construction estimate after redesign was described as “about $6,000,000” in staff remarks; that figure is presented as a construction estimate and could change when contracts are returned.

On the Marina Steps, staff said the previous contractor bid came in at $11.7 million and that engineering and value engineering work (including deleting underground power, removing cantilevered overlooks, reducing vertical and flat concrete quantities, and eliminating decorative drift logs) has lowered the engineer estimate to about $10,000,000. Staff identified four deductive alternates for bidding that could reduce cost further if needed: removing the splash pad (estimated savings about $130,000), removing the vertical playground (about $250,000), deleting a decorative rear water/wet wall feature and built‑in step lighting (about $40,000), and removing other aesthetic items. Staff stressed those reductions would change the project’s amenity mix and that removing park features could make the site less family‑oriented.

Staff detailed grants and other funds they are pursuing or have identified to close the gap between cost and available bond funds: roughly $1.5 million in previously secured grants, an additional $1,000,000 in state funds administered through the Department of Commerce (recently signed in the state budget, per staff), a pending $1,000,000 King County parks grant application, roughly $8,100,000 of remaining bond proceeds after commitments to other bond projects, a possible $1.25 million of reallocated REET (real estate excise tax) capital funds and about $700,000 in street‑vacation receipts related to Sound Transit right‑of‑way settlements. Staff presented a notional total of about $13.56 million that could be available if all pieces come together, and said they will return to council in late June or July once grant outcomes are known.

Community members who testified during public comment urged keeping the splash pad and playground elements in the steps design to create family‑friendly marina access and to support nearby businesses. Speakers said the amenities would draw families, promote local restaurant use, and serve residents who otherwise travel outside Des Moines for larger parks; others — including some Marina residents — urged restraint because of cost, loss of views, or safety concerns around combining steep slopes and water features. Several speakers suggested alternatives such as a shuttle connecting downtown to the marina or placing different park features elsewhere.

Councilmembers and staff emphasized tradeoffs: the steps’ design currently includes ADA‑compliant switchbacks and landings to meet accessibility requirements; deleting switchbacks would remove the ADA route and is therefore not a simple deduction. Staff repeatedly cautioned that some grants (for example, King County park funds) are specifically tied to park amenities and if accepted would constrain the council’s ability to remove those amenities later without losing the grant eligibility.

Staff said about $1.3 million has been spent so far on design and engineering for the current steps location. They asked the council for no immediate decision, noting they will return with a recommendation once grant awards and updated cost estimates are final; staff said if everything lines up they will seek authority in mid‑July to go to bid, with a mid‑late August bid solicitation and a possible award in September.

The update included these key figures from staff presentations and public comments: prior bid for the Steps $11.7 million; current engineer estimate after value engineering roughly $10,000,000; deductive alternates estimated savings — splash pad $130,000; vertical playground $250,000; rear water/step lighting $40,000; design/engineering expended to date $1,300,000; pending and secured grants and other funding sources totaling the neighborhood of $13.56 million if all are confirmed. Staff also said the pier redesign estimate is a little over $6,000,000 and that work on the pier is being counted as fully funded based on the current mix of grants and bond allocations.

Staff requested public feedback and said formal direction from the council is not required this meeting; the council asked staff to return with updated bids and confirmed grant awards before a final “go/no‑go” decision on bidding. The council and staff also discussed longer‑range infrastructure items to better connect the marina to downtown, including a possible 220 Third Avenue connector project, but those were described as separate, longer‑term efforts.

The council reopened the topic to public comment and additional written input is encouraged as staff prepares the funding/bid recommendation expected in late June or July.