Des Moines University announced Monday that it will relocate its west-side campus to West Des Moines, saying it needs more room to grow.

The medical school has signed a letter of intent to buy 90 acres at the intersection of West Grand Avenue and Jordan Creek Parkway, according to a letter sent to students and employees.

"The current site on Grand Avenue simply cannot accommodate the plans we have for expansion of our curriculum, facilities and clinical services,” Michael C. Witte, chairman of the DMU Board of Trustees, wrote.

The school did not offer a timeline for the move.

Spokesman Mark Danes said Monday that DMU has been looking for a new home for some time due to the school's inability to expand its 24-acre campus on Grand Avenue in Des Moines.

The college has been involved in a monthslong dispute with neighbors over efforts to add a parking lot. An agreement with the city dating back to 2000 restricts development on the property.

"I think, if anything, the discussions with the community and the planning and zoning (commission) accelerated our plans,” Danes said.

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Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said he was disappointed to see the college leave the city where it was founded in 1898.

“We’re saddened,” Cownie said. “It was started here. It grew here. It prospered here."

DMU is the second oldest osteopathic medical school and among the 25 largest medical schools in the United States, according to its website.

“I think they just felt they got to a point where they had to reassess who they are and where they’re going," Cownie said.

The Des Moines campus left little room for the school to expand, beyond building vertically, Cownie said. "And their board … didn’t think that was a viable option."

West Des Moines Mayor Steve Gaer said the location, near DMACC's West Campus and a proposed indoor sports facility, would be an excellent addition to West Des Moines and good fit for DMU students.

“I can’t think of a better area for the students to be in than the Jordan Creek Town Center area as far as quality of life," he said. "Everything’s close.”

DMU officials declined to say how much the school would pay for the West Des Moines land or how it would finance the purchase.

Danes said the move would not affect tuition rates for students. DMU plans to sell its Des Moines campus after the move, he said.

However, DMU's clinic could remain at its current location because it would still serve patients in the area, he said.

The osteopathic college moved to its current location, the former St. Joseph's Academy, in 1972. There were about 1,800 students enrolled in the school during the 2016-17 school year.

Des Moines Councilman Josh Mandelbaum, who represents the city's west side, said he is hopeful the college might reconsider the decision to move out of Des Moines.

"I believe that DMU can continue to meet its needs at its current location, and I think DMU and the city would both be better off for it,” he said.

Gaer said the decision to move within the metro is not uncommon. He pointed to Kum and Go's recent decision to move its corporate headquarters from West Des Moines to downtown Des Moines.

“We’ve got great businesses that go between West Des Moines and Des Moines," he said. "They’ve got to find where they think they’ll be successful, and I think we all need to be supportive of that.”

Kathy Fehrman, a former president of the Greenwood Historic Neighborhood Association, called DMU's decision a "complete surprise." She anticipated meeting with DMU staff at some point to continue deliberations over the school's proposed parking expansion.

“We never intended for them to leave," she said. "They’re a huge asset for the city of Des Moines."

Homeowners south of the college were united in their opposition to the parking lot, saying it could cause additional stormwater runoff and flooding in the neighborhood.

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Several residents also expressed worries that the parking lot would set a precedent for future expansion.

Along with the buildings on its campus, DMU also owns five houses along 31st Street, southeast of the campus.

According to the Polk County Assessor's Office, DMU's campus at 3200 Grand Ave. is valued at nearly $70.4 million. However, it's exempt from property taxes.

West Des Moines Community and Economic Development Director Clyde Evans said DMU is looking at three parcels on both sides of Jordan Creek Parkway. The land is privately owned.

Danes said DMU could close on the sale by late April or May.