OPN Gets Big DM Job

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[/caption]Cedar Rapids architecture firm From thiLocal leaders around these parts are trying to raise the dough needed to do a $30 million expansion/update of the U.S. Cellular Center. They also hope to make it a bigger draw for conventions.

Cedar Rapids architecture firm OPN will design a $42 million renovation of Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines.

From this morning's Register:

Polk County will hire an Iowa architecture firm to design a roughly $42 million overhaul of Veterans Memorial Auditorium that aims to raise downtown Des Moines' stock for state and national conventions.

The Polk County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to begin contract negotiations with OPN Architects Inc., which will be paid up to $1.9 million to design expanded convention facilities for the Iowa Events Center complex.

The project involves removing about 7,200 auditorium seats inside Vets to install a second floor, which would help provide about 82,000 additional square feet of floor space in the 54-year-old auditorium. The extra room will supplement 100,000 square feet of exhibit space and 14,400 square feet of meeting rooms at adjoining Hy-Vee Hall.

OPN's portfolio of work includes the new U.S. Courthouse being constructed in Cedar Rapids. The firm has also been chosen to lead the way on a possible new CR public library and the restoration of the Paramount Theater.

Local leaders around these parts are trying to raise the dough needed to do a $30 million expansion/update of the U.S. Cellular Center. They also hope to make it a bigger draw for conventions.