The City of West Des Moines needed a dedicated fire training facility, future fire station site, and water rescue training area to support a growing community and expanding public safety operations.
Farnsworth Group led a planning study for an 11.5-acre site, developing three conceptual layouts that integrated a multi-story fire training tower, emergency vehicle driver training pad, water rescue training pond access, equipment storage area, and a future 18,850 SF fire station. The plan also coordinated connectivity with an adjacent National Guard Readiness Center to expand training opportunities.
The master plan provides a clear roadmap for future growth while giving the Fire Department its first dedicated training facility, enhancing emergency response readiness, firefighter training capabilities, and long-term operational efficiency.
A survey of the pond on the site determined it has a maximum depth of 8 feet, which will be sufficient for the needs of water rescue training.
During this planning study, construction began on an adjacent National Guard Readiness Center, also designed by Farnsworth Group. The plan required easy access from the training tower and fire station to the Guard facility, where spaces will be made available for the department to utilize for education and training.
Project highlights included:
Three conceptual site development options evaluated
11.5-acre training and public safety campus planned
4,260 SF multi-story fire training tower programmed
69,600 SF emergency vehicle driver training pad included
Future 18,850 SF fire station planned with four drive-through bays
Existing pond confirmed suitable for water rescue training
Direct coordination with adjacent National Guard Readiness Center for shared training resources
The administration staff of Dallas County required a new facility that would accommodate future growth, provide the latest technology, and better serve the residents and businesses of the County.
The 54,000 SF building will house nine county departments in one location providing residents access to the treasurer, recorder, assessor, veterans affairs, GIS, planning and zoning, and the board of supervisors.
The building will also house information technology, operations and finance, and human resources along with a new board room, a large training room, and multiple smaller meeting rooms.
Located on the Adel city square, the main entrance and courtyard is centered with the main entrance of the historic courthouse creating a direct relationship between the two buildings. The design team worked with the City of Adel and the County supervisors to design a building that was respectful of the surrounding Historic District and used local materials such as Adel brick.
Future growth of the county was a key design factor. The building was designed to meet current and anticipated needs in a sustainable way. The building is expected to be 50% more efficient than the county’s current facilities.
Farnsworth Group (formerly Design Alliance) provided architectural design services for a new City Hall and Police Station facility containing all city hall offices, training rooms, break room, council chambers, and support areas. The facility is home to the Altoona Police Department range, and contains interrogation rooms, booking, sallyport, roll-call room, training, locker rooms, state of the art firing range, and support spaces. The project was constructed with Ryan Companies US, Inc. as the developer/contractor.
Farnsworth Group led a multidisciplinary design team to provide architectural and engineering services for a new Army National Guard Readiness Center in West Des Moines, Iowa.
The facility was planned on a 48-acre shared campus that also accommodates a future municipal fire station and training center, requiring careful coordination of long-term site development and infrastructure.
Designed to support Infantry and Transportation Company operations, the Readiness Center includes administrative space, classrooms, an assembly hall, secured storage areas, physical fitness facilities, locker rooms, a commercial kitchen, and mission-critical support functions. Site improvements include military and public vehicle parking, access roads, loading facilities, stormwater management systems, and supporting utilities.
The project incorporates resilient and sustainable design features, including a photovoltaic system, backup power generation, and specialized facilities for waste and flammable material handling. All improvements were designed in accordance with State of Iowa building codes and Unified Facilities Criteria, with the project targeting LEED v4 Silver certification.
After more than a century of service, the Enrollment Services Center’s clay tile, copper, and EPDM roofing systems had deteriorated and required significant renewal. Farnsworth Group was retained to modernize the entire roofing assembly while preserving the building’s historic character.
In addition, there were areas of exterior masonry wall in need of tuck-pointing, as well as repair or replacement of the skylight system, and elimination of rodent entry points. Services for this project included the analysis and development of recommendations and contract documents for the repair/replacement of the roofs, underlayments, sheathing, masonry deterioration, skylights, rodent entry, building soffits, and accessory items. The Enrollment Services Center houses the Office of Admissions and the Office of the Registrar and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Our team had extensive involvement in community engagement to help ensure the success of this Public Safety Building.
This 45,000 SF Public Safety Building contains headquarters for the Police and Fire departments. A satellite safety facility was also constructed to serve the west side of the community. Complete fire facilities were provided. Police space includes extensive operations, detective, detention, questioning, and evidence receiving, processing, storage, and return capability. Space is provided for vehicles, as well as hazardous and biological items. The projects is certified LEED Silver.
The team prepared multiple materials in advance of the bond issue. A referendum was passed with an 82% yes vote.
The Dallas County Law Enforcement Center is the result of a 4-year collaboration of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, Police, the Design Team, and the construction manager to deliver a highly energy-efficient and advanced law enforcement facility that will serve the county for years to come.
The facility contains the full compliment of the Dallas County sheriff’s department which includes administration, jail support, and jail incarceration.
The design achieves the transition of public access for the administration duties to the high level of security for the arrestees. This is accomplished with a simple functional block transition from the public access to the security areas deeper in the building. The administration block is positioned along the front of the building parallel to the public right-of-way. Jail support is the next block, positioned with major circulation for access by the department staff from either the administration or jail cell block functions. And the final block is the high-security jail cell pod.
The facility is designed with expansion in mind. Dallas County is acknowledged as one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation. Expansion is critical to the ability of the county to support the tremendous growth. The support functions of the facility have been designed to accommodate a total population of 520.The first cell pod will house 130 inmates, with each additional pod housing the same number, depending on housing type, i.e., dormitory or individual cells.
Farnsworth Group’s architecture team designed this renovation and expansion that allowed South East Junior High to respond to a growing student population.
The original building was constructed in 1958 with several previous additions added through 2009. Our design team’s assessment of the facility resulted in two separate additions. One addition provided two new science classrooms that were designed as part of their collaborative learning suites and an educational program the school was looking to expand. The second addition was also two-stories and located in the existing courtyard, recapturing space that was no longer used. The courtyard addition contains three classrooms on the first floor and a new media center and outdoor learning patio above.
The renovation also included a new geothermal HVAC system, sprinkler system, LED lighting and renovated restrooms. A general update of finishes including new flooring, ceilings and casework was provided throughout. The administration areas were consolidated and redesigned to meet their current and future needs.
Farnsworth Group was hired to design the addition of a gymnasium, playground entrance and music room.
After considering several “routine” expansion options that could be used for bus drop-off, parking and a new playground, Lincoln Elementary School decided to construct a new 16,000 SF two-story addition by taking advantage of unused areas behind its existing building. Originally built in 1926, the building had additions in 1949, 1954, 1973, 1974 and 1988. The existing building sits at the upper level of a steeply sloping 3.5-acre site that dives into a ravine.
The project remodeled and updated all the classrooms and other spaces in the school and provided a new VRF HVAC system and fire protection system. Many existing small restrooms were removed and replaced with a large new central restroom.
The project involved several unique construction techniques including the use of geofoam to infill the existing gymnasium to provide accessibility, and the use of a soil nail wall to accomplish the grade change when putting the gymnasium at the lower level behind the existing school.
