DES MOINES, Iowa — A helicopter could be seen in downtown Des Moines Sunday as they moved equipment and supplies to the top of the Ruan center.

The Ruan Center, located at 666 Grand Avenue, is the second tallest building in Des Moines so it’s no easy task completing upgrades. The helicopters were called in to remove cooling towers from the top of the building and help bring in new equipment.

For safety reasons several streets were closed throughout downtown from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. including Grand Avenue from Sixth Avenue to Eighth Street, Seventh Street from Watson Powell Jr. Way to Locu Street, and High Street from Sixth to Eighth Street.

The whole operation took around an hour to complete and drew a crowd. This is the first time a project of this nature has been completed in downtown Des Moines.

If you weren’t able to catch the operation Sunday, don’t worry you’ll have another chance. On January 11, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. they will complete another equipment lift from the Ruan Center. This will also result in the closure of the surrounding streets.