New Des Moines U.S. Courthouse

Rendering of East Locust Street and riverfront sides
Rendering of East Locust Street and riverfront sides. Courtesy of Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa

In 2016, Congress appropriated funding for the construction of a new 230,000-gross-square-foot federal courthouse in Des Moines, Iowa, for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Anticipated to achieve LEED Gold certification, the new courthouse will provide nine courtrooms, offices, and workspace for: The Southern District of Iowa Judiciary, Southern District of Iowa Bankruptcy, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, U.S. Marshals Service, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, including a satellite library, GSA building management space, trial preparation space for the Federal Public Defenders and the U.S. Attorneys.

Current Status

GSA’s working to build the new federal courthouse in Des Moines, with completion of the exterior components attained in November.

Current progress on Des Moines U.S. Courthouse showcasing the front of the building, looking west.
Current progress on Des Moines U.S. Courthouse showcasing the front of the building, looking west.

Project details

Total authorized funding: $140,602,000 for site acquisition, design, construction, and related expenses
Project delivery method: Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc)
Lead design architect: Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects

Project Schedule:

  • Construction completion: September 2023
  • Occupancy: late 2023/early 2024

Awarded contracts

Final Environmental Assessment [PDF - 11 MB] (August 2018)

News releases

2022

2021

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Media Inquiries

Matthew Doyle
Public Affairs Officer
matthew.doyle@gsa.gov
816-316-6124

The shortcut to this page is: gsa.gov/desmoinescourthouse.

Last Reviewed: 2023-03-21