Des Moines University pays $8.5 million for West Des Moines campus site

Des Moines University paid $8.46 million for 88 acres in West Des Moines where it plans to build a new campus. 

The transaction was recorded Thursday by the Dallas County Recorder's Office.

The osteopathic medical school announced in March that it would leave Des Moines, saying its 24-acre campus was not big enough to accommodate the school's desire to expand and offer new degree programs.  

The West Des Moines property is located north of Grand Avenue and west of South Jordan Creek Parkway. The undeveloped land sits east of a Microsoft data center.  

The land was purchased from W&G McKinney Farms LC, a partnership of Wayne H. and Gloria M. McKinney of Waukee.

A call to McKinney's law office Tuesday afternoon was not returned. 

Des Moines University is the second oldest osteopathic medical school and among the 25 largest medical schools in the United States, according to its website. Its campus has been located on the west side of Des Moines since 1972.   

The school unveiled the location of the new campus in June. At that time, spokesman Mark Danes declined to reveal the purchase price, but said the move would not affect tuition rates.

The school was not immediately available for comment Tuesday afternoon.

► More:Des Moines University unveils land for new campus in West Des Moines

Construction is scheduled to begin next spring. The new campus is tentatively set to open in 2023.

DMU plans to sell its current campus. In June, President Angela Franklin said the school had already fielded some interest in the property.

Franklin also said the decision to move, which was fully supported by DMU's board of trustees, was not because of the school's dispute over parking with neighbors earlier this year.

However, an online DMU Magazine article said the proposal to add the 45 parking spaces and a generator "turned into dramatic debate and ultimately a transformative decision to move the campus of Des Moines University." 

Des Moines city leaders had hoped DMU would reconsider its move to the suburb, but Franklin said any conversation about staying would be a nonstarter. 

Contractors are expected to bring forward design concepts for the new campus before the year is complete.

Austin Cannon covers the city of Des Moines for the Register. Reach him at awcannon@registermedia.com or 515-284-8398. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal.