Longtime Des Moines deputy city manager Matt Anderson will retire next year after nearly 25 years with the city.
Why it matters: Anderson has been a behind-the-scenes force in preserving historic buildings, keeping major employers downtown, and guiding complex redevelopment projects.
Driving the news: Anderson announced to city staff this week that he will leave Jan. 25, his 57th birthday.
- He tells Axios that he wants to spend more time with family and personal passions like running marathons.
- “There’s a whole lot of things in life that I want to do besides work an 8-to-5 job,” he said.
Flashback: He began planning the Younkers building’s future during his first month at City Hall and later helped preserve part of it after a devastating 2014 fire.
- He helped keep Wellmark’s headquarters downtown through a complex deal that involved a street closure, environmental cleanup, and the relocation of a historic building.
The intrigue: Asked about a missed opportunity, Anderson said DSM has struggled to move beyond car-dependent development, though limited transit and suburban competition constrained its options…