Ames Software Company Buys 9 Campustown Buildings for Expansion

A software company has purchased nine buildings in Campustown for $1.5 million according to a recent article in the Ames Tribune.

Kingland Systems already occupies a former movie theater in Campustown, and company officials said that their plans will become more clear in 2013, according to the report.

The buildings in the 2400 block of Lincoln Way and the 100 block of both Stanton and Welch avenues comprise about half a block of Campustown, the commercial area adjacent to Iowa State University.

Kingland purchased the property from Albert Louis Champlin Jr.'s estate. Champlin, one of Campustown's original developers, died in February.

Iowa State University hopes to partner with the software company.

ISU President Steven Leath told the Ames Tribune that the university would like to secure space in Kingland’s redevelopment.

“We’ve got some groups looking at what campus services might be good fit for right across campus, where parking and other issues are simpler,” Leath said.

Kingland Systems offers software solutions for banks, insurance companies and accounting firms, according to a recent article in the Mason City Globe Gazette.

The company is based in Clear Lake and has a software development lab in China and the office in Ames serves primarily as a “data cleansing center,” that employs ISU students.

Kingland Systems founder, David Kingland, told the Globe Gazette that the purchase was part of the company's long-term growth strategy and that his company is looking at expanding into health care.