The City of Des Moines proudly announces the Grand Opening of the Des Moines Beach Park Auditorium. The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on July 11, 2012 at 5:00pm.
Located on the shores of Puget Sound this one of a kind facility is available to the public to rent for private events including weddings, reunions, company events and trainings. The Auditorium is 3700 square feet with a 18’ X 25’ built in stage and tiled patio. The facility can accommodate up to 500 people reception seating.
The Beach Park Event Center offers the ideal setting for any event or special occasion. This historic yet contemporary Auditorium boasts stained glass windows, cathedral ceiling and gorgeous exposed wood beams that are true Pacific Northwest style.
• Smilin’ Scandinavians to perform live
• Refreshments provided by Wesley House
• Ribbon will be cut at 6:30 p.m. by the Meyer of Des Moines
• Free event open to the public.
• Tours and additional information available at the event.

City of Des Moines Des Moines Beach Park National Historic District Rehabilitation Overview

Background
• Des Moines Beach Park is the birth place of Des Moines. Settlement of the Des Moines area began on this site in the 1800’s.

• Evidence of Native American use of this area has also been found.

• Since settlement, the site has had a very colorful history as:
o One of the early European-American settlement along the shores of Puget Sound, establishment of the sawmill industry and platting the town site of Des Moines in 1889.
o A dance hall, and a private recreational park and play space for the children of the Children’s Industrial Home created by Herman and Annie Draper ( 1917- 1931)
o The Covenant Beach Bible Camp with rustic cabins and communal buildings of the recreational park and Covenant Church camp eras dotting the landscape (1931-1986)
o And now the Des Moines Beach Park (late 1987 – present)

• In pioneer days approximately 100 Camps dotted the region. Covenant Beach Bible Camp is the most intact of the few remaining church camps located within the urbanized Puget Sound region.

• Des Moines acquired the Park in the late 1980’s with a citizen voted bond issue and matching funds from King County and Washington State.

• Since the late 1980’s the structures have been used for recreational purposes such as: Senior Center, Day Camps, Public Rentals and Community Special Events.

• The Beach Park (also known as the Covenant Beach Bible Camp Historic District) is listed on the Washington State, King County and Des Moines Historic Registers and in 2006 Governor Gregoire joined the City as it commemorated its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

• The Covenant Beach Historic District at Des Moines Beach Park is significant because of its place in our history and as a central part of our economic development strategy.
o Historic preservation efforts are excellent investments for cities to make in their communities, often returning multiple dollars to the community for each dollar spent.
o The Historic District is adjacent to the Marina and within the downtown/Waterfront District and provides the terminus for the Des Moines Creek Trail. These combined amenities will create a synergistic effect for the revitalization of our Downtown and to create vibrancy and local living wage jobs necessary for the sustainability of South King County.

• A business and marketing plan has been developed by the City to maximize future building access and uses and to provide adequate revenues for the ongoing maintenance and operation of the Historic District.

• Seattle Southside Visitor Services (serving the South King County Cities of SeaTac, Tukwila, Kent and Des Moines) works with the City to actively market the Beach Park to the hospitality industry as a tourism destination.

• In 2005, Des Moines began working on a plan to rehabilitate the Historic District’s camp buildings beginning with the Auditorium built in 1957 by the Covenant Church camp and the Dining Hall built over Des Moines creek in 1934).

• The total cost to rehabilitate the Auditorium was $2,004,798 with $542,375 appropriated from the Washington State Department of Commerce; $50,000 appropriated from a King County Community Development Block Grant; and the remaining $1,412,423 from the City of Des Moines Capital Improvement Program.

• The projects to reopen the Auditorium were completed in phases as funds were made available beginning in 2007 and following important work along Des Moines Creek, upstream of the Park, to reduce site flooding.

o The first phase was to improve site drainage with a project to reduce hillside runoff from seeping into the building and roadway.

o The second phase was to build a concrete floodwall and buffer the building from the potential of Des Moines Creek flooding.

o The third phase was to rehabilitate the building which began in 2010. This project included bringing the building up to code with a new electrical system, gas HVAC system, fire suppression system, plumbing and restrooms, building insulation and structural improvements, new doors and windows, ADA access, stage and patio.

• There were a few project hiccups that delayed the completion and reopening of the building, however, the result of many years of work is the transformation into the beautiful resource you see here today.

• Another Beach Park rehabilitation project that is underway, again in phases, is the historic Dining Hall. This project received a $1Million grant from the Washington Heritage Capital Grant Fund. Funds have helped to lift the building above the 100 year flood plain and to construct and new foundation and decking. An additional $800,500 is needed to complete building improvements and reopen the building. The project was recently reviewed and has been recommended to receive a second heritage grant in the next biennium.

Auditorium Statistics and Amenities
Building Square footage: 6,000
Building Occupancy: 525
Building seating capacity:
Banquet style - 360
Classroom style - 400
Number of Windows: 12 triple pane colored glass
Floor: Concrete
Stage Size: 18 X 25
Coffee Bar with Sink
Indoor-Outdoor Door System: 3- 12 ft. Bi-fold Nana Doors
Building Patio Square Footage: 1200
Building Amenities: Sound System, Projector, Wi Fi, Lighting Dimmer System, 250 chairs and 25 60” Round tables and 6 6’ Rectangular Tables

Auditorium Character Defining Elements
Glue Lam Beams
V-Groove 2” x 6” ceiling decking
Purlins and ridge board measuring 6” x 12” and spaced 8” centers
Gable roof and broad eave overhangs with continuation of V-groove interior sheathing and exposed purlins
Colored fiberglass panels
Interior fiberboard wall panels
Exterior plywood sheet cladding with ¼” vertical grooves
Top-hinged, 4’ wide doors
Side wall hopper windows
Open interior volume
Stage including stairs and horizontal lapped wood cladding
Storage rooms flanking the stage
Aluminum incandescent light fixtures mounted on purlins
Speakers mounted on purlins
Curved wood casings around the doorways to the storage rooms flanking the stage
Central locations within the site

Auditorium Design and Construction
Project Partners:
City of Des Moines
Washington State Department of Commerce
King County Department of community and Human Services

Architects: BOLA Architecture + Planning
Construction Contractor: Nordic Construction, Inc.

Des Moines Creek Modifications
Engineers: TetraTech

City Engineers and Owners Representatives: Loren Reinhold, Scott Romano, Jason Sullivan, Annette Chomica and David Clark Architects,

Opening Celebration Sponsors
Des Moines Legacy Foundation- Entertainment
Wesley Homes- Refreshments
FloraLaura- Floral Arrangements
Des Moines Historic Society- Historic Displays