X's, O's and New Neighbors
Moving is a universal experience of displacement. Whether it’s your home or your office, settling into a new space involves a certain period of awkward acclimation. You learn where the restrooms are, you find the nearest coffee shop and lunch/hangout spots (Horizon Line Coffee, Black Cat Ice Cream, South Union Bread Café, Central Library we found you!), and you stare out the window, wondering who else is in the neighborhood.
In January, our team at the City of Des Moines Communications Office moved from the historic City Hall to the new T.M. Franklin Cownie City Administration Building at 1200 Locust St. in Downtown Des Moines (DSM). When we arrived on the fifth floor, the view directly across 12th Street was ... quiet. The building was mostly empty, except for the occasional work crew. We knew that American Equity would eventually be moving into the building but did not know exactly when. Iowa’s bitter cold and gloomy February came and went with the anticipation that we could soon see other human life form directly across from us on the 5th floor of the adjacent building.
Then came Monday, March 2.
Bright and early, we noticed signs of life! The lights were on, and people were filling the floor across from us, setting up workstations and checking out the view. Naturally, that view included us.
After some mutual stares of social curiosity and a few tentative waves, I realized an (in)formal introduction was necessary. As an elder millennial, I felt compelled to use the most effective universal language I know: the meme.
I printed out the iconic, frantic Forrest Gump wave and taped it into the glass, paired with some rudimentary signage to set a light-hearted tone and let them know who we are.
Making Connections in Downtown Des Moines
By lunch, a response had materialized. A "Hi!" spelled out in sticky notes appeared in their window, followed by an introduction from American Equity. A friendship was officially starting to blossom.
As word spread through the building, the fifth floor became the place to be. Our coworkers from other departments started drifting by to see what the hubbub was all about. It was clear that this simple exchange of greetings was a catalyst for some workplace camaraderie. We decided it was time to escalate the situation — we needed some friendly competition.
My team and I used old, colored copy paper to construct a basic Tic-Tac-Toe grid on the window. We placed our first letter and waited. Our neighbors didn't blink. They immediately mirrored the board, taped up a "GAME ON" sign and made their counter move.
For the next several days, the game was a slow-motion spectator sport. City staff, leadership and even Mayor Boesen stopped by to check the status of the board. Most of our matches ended in stalemates, the natural fate of Tic-Tac-Toe, but the outcome of the game didn't really matter ... that wasn’t the point.
We’re already thinking about the next move. Whether it’s Pictionary, Hangman or something entirely new, the goal remains the same. As a communicator by trade, making connections is second nature to me. Sometimes that happens through a press release or a public meeting, and sometimes it happens through a sheet of yellow copy paper taped to a window at 1200 Locust.
A simple game of Tic-Tac-Toe might seem uninspiring to some, but it was an opportunity to disrupt the assumed monotony of office life and a reminder of the power of a simple "Hello." Downtown Des Moines is open for business, and you never know what kind of community is waiting for you just across the street.
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