Our New Home Is Official

Breaking News:

It fills me with so much gratitude and joy to be able to share that we have signed a lease and secured the new home of CrossFit West Des Moines! I don’t think it is a coincidence that after obtaining two new partners for the gym just one month ago that our summer hunt to find a new space was expedited and fulfilled just one month later. I’ve been quiet lately because I truly did not want to get any hopes up again just to disappoint. It seemed promising for the last couple of weeks but until it was signed I didn’t want to say too much!

Scroll to the bottom of this email if you want to skip the soppy appreciation stuff and see the location details and photos.

The biggest thank you I can give is to the members and coaches of CFWDM.

To you, the heart and soul of CrossFit WDM, our athletes and coaching staff. I owe you more than I can currently give. The overwhelm I felt upon the news of us losing our space at the A-Frame was well disguised. But your understanding and patience in all of this has me in awe… and in tears. I’ve watched you each day come into CF Valley Junction with happy faces and grace as we stepped into a brand new community. Not a single person was negative in any way, shape, or form. You embraced the culture, you allowed their coaches to help you, and gave their athletes a chance to be themselves and accept them for everything they are. You kept any negative comments to yourself or vented in a very healthy way in private on things that may have been frustrating. But through and through, you guys are exactly why we are who we are as a CrossFit gym. I mean that. People have complimented our culture for a long time and I just didn’t know what to say because I can’t take the credit. You guys are incredible, humble, patient, hard-working, and accepting of new challenges. I hope to honor you with the new space and location and make the next generation of CFWDM one built on YOUR foundation… I truly wouldn’t want it any other way.

To the coaches… all of the above goes towards you. But your faith and ability to lead through the trials has been well worth the visit to CFVJ. To see you guys step up for our community, and theirs, has made me very very proud. I know matter of factly that you’ve grown and are all better from this. We were put in a unique position and you adapted and never once showed weakness, and we are all stronger today for having leaders like you in our community. Dillon, Steph, Michael and Jess… THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. If you are with me, then the hard work, as you know, has only just begun and the new facility will be the best facility with you in it.

Congratulations to Jessica Carter and Nate Yoho for becoming the two new partners of CFWDM.

You all know Jess as she has played a huge role in helping develop the culture and attitude of our gym. She brings knowledge, fun, light-heartedness, lots of coaching experience, and abilities unique to her that have touched several of the athletes in one way or another through photography, social acknowledgements, inspiration or just great advice and conversation. She has modeled so much strength and courage through her journey with us that maybe only few of you know the entire story of her finding CrossFit and stepping towards her giants with faith and overcoming several barriers. She was introduced to CrossFit by a couple of her friends in Altoona and shortly after migrated to Norwalk and traveled daily to the A-Frame as a single parent (usually with Chloe) because CrossFit was changing her from the inside out… not the other way around. Jess was an athlete for a couple of years before deciding to brand herself with the CFWDM logo as a tattoo on her right bicep! Shortly after she was actually the one who asked ME to become a coach. I immediately jumped on the opportunity. With some underlying test anxiety that she didn’t know existed, she persisted in several tries to obtain her CF-L1 until she owned the SOB. Three years later she’s known as the head coach, lead inspiration, and now a CF-L2 with a passion that continues to grow in many ways. Ya’ll… she is just getting started, believe that! She recently got contracted to take photos for some of the surrounding CrossFit gyms and is pumped to get her gymnastics cert and continue developing as a coach and athlete. She inspires me to this day and I’m so incredibly proud to have her on board.

Most of you don’t know Nate directly, but indirectly… you’ve been working out in one of his three CrossFit gyms over the last 3 months. When he caught wind of us getting notice of our expiring time in the A-Frame he did not hesitate to help me configure numbers, set a budget, draw up absolutes for what we are looking for, and develop an action-first approach with finding a space. He showed us what has been working well for him and helped me shed light on a couple areas that I tended to avoid in the business aspect. The way he acquired his three gyms is only a story for him to tell, but it wasn’t what I expected. He truly did so out of love and support of upcoming trainers with a sincere passion to help people overcome a pandemic of mis-information, boring workouts, and poor results in the fitness world; in other words, delivering CrossFit to the Des Moines communities. The opportunities all found him and when I asked him if he’d be interested in partnering after just a few sit downs with him it caught him a little off guard but the way I was growing in his conversations and help affirmed that he was doing his due diligence in helping navigate several things and am proud to have him be a support that fosters positivity, effective communication, follow through, and ultimately doing what is best for the gym long term.

CFWDM New Location Details:

Address: 2749 86th St, Urbandale, IA 50322

Projected Move In Date: November 1st, 2021

Nearby: Perkins, Cobblestone Movie Theatre, Panera, Taki Steakhouse, Natural Grocers

Neighbors: Urban Nails and Spa (to the north), La Tropicana Mexican Market (to the south)

Directions from I-235: Take exit 2 – 22nd St – and head North for 1.7 miles. Take a right on 85th St and turn left immediately onto Frontage Rd. The location will be on your right (East) behind Panera Bread in the corner suite.

Directions from I-35: Take exit 125 – Hickman Rd. – head East on Hickman Rd for 2.0 miles. Take a left on 86th St for 0.2 miles. Take a right on 85th St and turn left immediately onto Frontage Rd. The location will be on your right (East) behind Panera Bread in the corner suite.

Building Features: 3,900 sqft. (similar to A-Frame and CFVJ). Unique “wedge” shape with a large opened back area and 14′ ceilings. Overhead garage door at the back with a large parking lot just outside of it PERFECT for running workouts. A large parking lot in the front with dozens of spaces and a canopy just outside the front door as cover and shade. Two single stall bathrooms with a shower to be installed. VERY accessible to the bike trail making for some potentially awesome long runs or easy travel on your bike.

Work To Be Done:

1. Demo four partition walls + sink/cabinets
2. Add shower to restroom.
3. Add washer/dryer to the utility room.
4. Expand janitorial room by 5’0″ wide.
5. Update and add lighting fixtures.
6. Build an ~8′ x 10′ office.
   1. Add lighting
   2. Add HVAC
   3. Add Sprinkler
7. Relocate light switch for previous “storage” area.
8. Relocate the thermostat.
9. Update overhead door.
10. Patch drywall.
11. Trim and paint.
12. Install flooring.
13. Install Rig and Equipment.
14. Clean all equipment.

Rough Time-Line:
The dumpster will be there Tuesday 9/28 ready to begin demo. Demo completed by 10/5. Contractors will begin showing up by 10/1 getting maps and quote of exact work. Overhead door and flooring to be purchased by 10/1. Decisions on bathroom updates and paint to be completed by 10/1, purchased by 10/6. Office frame out done by 10/8. Electrical and HVAC work to be complete 10/15. Drywall to be started by 10/13. Paint to be started on 10/15, completed by 10/22. Floors installed from 10/23 – 10/27. Rig installed on 10/26 – 10/27. Equipment brought over on 10/26 – 10/29 and cleaned upon arrival. Branding to try being completed during week of 10/25 – 10/29. Sound system and electrical systems up and running by 10/29.