The Nelson Construction and Development project across from Old Main, which will include a new hotel, retail space, and restaurant, is set to break ground in the spring of 2019. As Nelson Construction and Development proceeds with the project, they will provide updates and schedules, which will be published in OnCampus and provided to building contacts through Facilities Planning and Management. Nelson will continue to allow access to the parking lots (lots 5 and 8) until late February when construction staging will begin.
The hotel, restaurant, and retail project started to take form in April 2017 when Drake University announced the sale of two parcels of University-owned land to Nelson Construction and Development after a competitive selection process. This project represents the first phase of development on a 2.65-acre site that neighbors First Christian Church on the south side of University Avenue and crosses 26th Street to the west.
—Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer