Annual "Des Moines' Seven Most Endangered Buildings" List
The Des Moines Rehabbers Club publishes an annual list of Des Moines' Seven Most Endangered Buildings. This annual list draws attention to buildings in danger of demolition or abandonment before they are irrevocably destroyed.
- The City of Des Moines maintains a "Demo List" - These are buildings that are in a state of disrepair such that the City has decided they are a danger to the public health and safety. Many more buildings are listed as "public nuisance" properties. If the conditions that caused a public nuisance action are not corrected, a public nuisance building may be demolished. Buildings demolished by the City are sometimes in salvageable condition.
- Many other buildings are simply vacant and abandoned - If these buildings are not adequately secured from vandalism and weather, it is likely they will eventually end up on the demo list.
- Some of the buildings that are actively demolished could be rehabilitated - The "nuclear option" of demolition is sometimes used before all other options are exhausted.
- Demolition of "rehab-able" buildings is a waste of natural resources and energy - Rehabilitation of existing buildings is a "green" option compared to demolition. Reusing an existing building saves waste from landfills. Older buildings were often built to take advantage of natural ventilation, and can be made energy efficient.
- Buildings (even those in good condition) that stand in the way of new developments are demolished – The community can work with developers to save notable or historic structures. There are examples across the city of substantial buildings standing in the way of proposed projects.
It is our goal to promote an environment that encourages preservation, restoration and adaptive reuse before demolition.
2010 Most Endangered Buildings
A 1950's International Style icon and a vacant Victorian home are among seven buildings named to the 3rd annual Des Moines Rehabbers Club's “Most Endangered Buildings” list.
Over the period of about a month, the Des Moines Rehabbers Club received nominations from the public for buildings within the City of Des Moines deemed to be in danger of demolition or neglect. With 300 votes cast online, the public made the final decision on which buildings would make the list. The list will help raise awareness of endangered structures in Des Moines and promote opportunities for rehabilitating them.
“We hope to draw attention to the variety of historic buildings we have here in Des Moines,” said Steve Wilke-Shapiro, club organizer. “Reuse and renovation isn’t just about nostalgia for old buildings, it is also a ‘green’ approach to redevelopment.”
The following have been selected as the third annual list of “Des Moines Seven Most Endangered Buildings” (in no particular order):
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Crane Company Building - 1440 Walnut
The five-story brick masonry Crane building is currently vacant. In a burgeoning neighborhood, this building represents incredible potential for redevelopment, with beautiful masonry work and signage. Renovation work on this building could potentially qualify for a variety of historic tax credits and other renovation incentives. |
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Downtown YMCA - 101 Grand
The Riverfront YMCA building is a striking example of the International Style of architecture popular in the mid 1900s. Architect William Wagner enlisted Stan Hess, an art professor at Drake University, to design two monumental murals for the building’s exterior. The Riverfront site has been proposed as a possible location for a hotel, condominiums, retail space, or a new YMCA facility. |
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Vacant Queen Anne Victorian - 1811 Oakland
Located within a designated historic district, this modest Queen Anne-style house has rich architectural features. It is currently vacant and listed for sale, but requires a some major repairs and upgrades to the foundation and systems. |
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Former Whittier School - 1350 East Washington
Also listed on the first “Most Endangered” list, this original brick masonry school with stone accent detailing is over 100 years old. The attached wood frame structure may actually predate the brick school building. The building has been listed for sale for the past several years. |
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1870's Warehouse Block - 112 SW 2nd/123 SW 3rd These brick buildings represent some of the last remaining structures from downtown Des Moines’ early railroad development. Originally constructed as a three-story hotel and later occupied as a bakery, the top floor of 123 SW 3rd was removed after a fire in 1940s. The block has been eyed for construction of a new hotel. |
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Stockdale Double House - 4018 Ingersoll
A carryover from last year’s “Most Endangered” list, the Stockdale Double house is representative of a building type more common in the early 20th century where two homes share a common wall. After encouraging movement on saving this historic structure, it once again finds itself in danger of demolition. |
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Modern Style Mini-Office - 1760 Euclid
The defining feature of this modest “Moderne” style office building is a curved glass window at the northeast corner. Other architectural accents on this building include the recessed brick surround at the entry door and fluted wood overhang. It is currently vacant and boarded. |
About the Rehabbers Club
The Des Moines Rehabber’s Club is a group of people with a common interest in preservation, rehabilitation, and maintenance of Des Moines’ historic buildings. Free monthly meetings take place the first Saturday of each month. Topics range from demonstrations and “work in progress” tours to educational topics like how to look up a home’s history.
For more information on the Des Moines Rehabber’s Club or to view Most Endangered Buildings from past years, visit http://renovatedsm.com.
1870s Warehouse Space
John Greenleaf Whittier School
Modern Style Mini-Office
Riverfront YMCA
Stockdale Double House
Vacant Early 20's Victorian House
What Will 100th Anniversary of 1916 Crane Company Building Hold?
2009 Most Endangered Buildings
A former Iowa governor’s home and one of Des Moines’ last remaining railroad depots have been named to the Des Moines Rehabber’s Club “Seven Most Endangered Buildings” for 2009.
Over the period of about a month, the DMRC received nominations from the public for buildings, homes or structures within the City of Des Moines deemed to be in danger of demolition or neglect. With nearly 800 votes cast, the public made the final decision on which buildings would make the list. The results will help raise awareness of endangered structures in Des Moines and promote opportunities for rehabilitating them.
“Our main goal is to draw attention to these properties and raise awareness of their contribution to Des Moines history,” said Steve Wilke-Shapiro, DMRC organizer. “We also hope the resulting list will provide an opportunity for those who are interested to rehabilitate, reuse or reinvest in these worthy structures.”
The following have been selected as the 2009 “Des Moines Seven Most Endangered Buildings” (in no particular order):
| Drake Neighborhood Victorian, 1075 26th Street. This 1889 home was purchased during a tax sale earlier this year. It had been converted into multiple small apartments, and the new owners gutted it in preparation for conversion back to single family. Their plans have changed and it is now for sale. Portions of the structure are currently open to the elements. This structure is located directly adjacent to the Kingman Place National Register Historic District and would potentially be eligible for inclusion as a contributing structure in a new nomination. It is an excellent example of the type and style of structure constructed as part of the early development of the Drake University neighborhood. |  |
| East Side Union Railroad Depot, 120 E. 5th. The structure is one of two known passenger depots still standing in Des Moines and the only one on the east side. Built in 1900, the depot came under scrutiny only four years later for not being big enough to accommodate the growing number of passengers. At the time, there were four railroads stopping at the “little station”: the Wabash Railroad, Chicago Great Western Railway; the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad; and the Des Moines, Iowa Falls and Northern Railway. |  |
| Former Governor Jackson Mansion, 1618 Oakland. Frank Jackson and his family lived here prior to and during his term as governor (1894-1896). Since Iowa did not provide a house for governors at the time, the house was in effect the Iowa Governor’s Mansion from 1895 to 1897. The Jacksons lived here until the early 1920s when they moved to California. In 1925, the Jackson House and the home of Iowa Supreme Court Justice Scott Ladd at 1624 Oakland were purchased for a proposed Baptist Home and Orphanage. |  |
| Fairground Hardware, 2951 E. Walnut St. Built in 1895, the building served as the home of Sherman Lodge #576, associated with Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF). In 1998, it was sold to the current owners and has been the location of this neighborhood hardware store ever since. While this building isn't as physically in danger as many of the other nominations, this particular nomination highlights the fragile condition of the neighborhood hardware store that is critical to both homeowners and urban rehabbers. Several independent hardware stores in the City have closed in the recent past, and it is important to support the remaining ones. Not only do the staff actually know where everything is in the store, but they also often stock items particular to renovation and restoration work - and they know how to use them! |  |
| Former North Des Moines Town Hall, 1601 6th Ave. Also known as the Perry and Brainard Block, this building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Erected between 1888 and 1889, the building is significant in the Annexation Movement in Des Moines and its suburbs in the late 19th century, and it is the only known public building surviving this critical period. North Des Moines played a pivotal role in the Annexation Movement, as it was the largest in population among the suburbs and also the most vocal in stipulating conditions before endorsing annexation. It is the last remaining historic mixed-used building along 6th Avenue that has not been rehabilitated. |  |
| Double House, 4018-4020 Ingersoll Ave. Built in 1909, this structure was one of several double houses identified in the City of Des Moines’ “Community Preservation Plan” (1994-1995). The plan reads: “Double houses were developed in Des Moines as early as 1878 and continued to be built until the early part of the 20th century. Since most double houses were built near the central city, many have been demolished in recent years.” Both units of the double house are currently vacant. | |
| Row House, 709 E. Locust. This 1894 building may be the oldest surviving row house in Polk County, though recent research suggests that the building next to it is actually a year older. The Iowa Department of Administrative Services has purchased the buildings at the foot of the West Capitol Terrace in order to finish plans for that project. The State has indicated it is interested in preserving the two historical buildings, though at the current time, what that means is unclear. The building was renovated in the early 00’s. |  |
The Des Moines Rehabber’s Club received 13 nominations to its 2nd Annual Most Endangered Buildings list. This list highlights Des Moines buildings in danger of demolition or neglect.
Nominations for the Des Moines Most Endangered Buildings list typically meet the following criteria:
- The building or structure must be located in the City of Des Moines.
- The building must be threatened with either active demolition or permanent damage due to neglect within the next year. The building must not be too far deteriorated as to make rehabilitation unfeasible.
- There is no preference for building type, use, style, or size.
- A building does not have to be on the National Register or located in a historic district to be nominated.
The Des Moines Rehabbers Club is a group of people of all skill levels with a common interest in preservation, rehabilitation, and maintenance of Des Moines’ buildings. Free monthly meetings take place on the first Saturday of each month. Topics range from demonstrations and “work in progress” tours to classroom topics such as how to look up a home’s history. For more information, visit http://RenovateDSM.com.
Double House
Craftsman-Style Built-In Bookcases
Built-in bookcases in the living room of the "endangered" Double House at 4018 Ingersoll.
Interior Column Detail
Craftsman-style column interior detail in the "endangered" Double House at 4018 Ingersoll.
Stained Glass Window Detail
This is one of eight (?) stained glass windows in the "endangered" Double House at 4018 Ingersoll.
Tiled Entry
Hex tile pattern in the front entryway of the the "endangered" Double House at 4018 Ingersoll.
Fairground Hardware
Former Governor Jackson Mansion
Exterior Photo
1618 Oakland - Former Governor Jackson House
Living Room
Interior photo at the former Governor Jackson house, from the 2009 DSMRC "Most Endangered Buildings" list.
Sleeping Porch
Interior photo at the former Governor Jackson house, from the 2009 DSMRC "Most Endangered Buildings" list.
Stairway Detail
Interior photo at the former Governor Jackson house, from the 2009 DSMRC "Most Endangered Buildings" list.
Former North Des Moines Town Hall
Back View
Former North Des Moines Town Hall back view
Front View
Former North Des Moines Town Hall front view
Window Lintel Detail
These window openings are in desperate need of tuckpointing.
Former Railroad Depot
Dutch Gable Detail
Former Union Depot
Southeast Corner
Former Union Depot
Southwest Corner
Former Union Depot
Gutted Drake Victorian
Exterior Photo
1075 26th Street exterior photo
Historic Row House
2008 Most Endangered Buildings
A charred Sherman Hill mansion and a former one-room schoolhouse have been named to the Des Moines Rehabbers Club's 2008 list of “Des Moines Seven Most Endangered Buildings”.
In no particular order, the following structures were selected as the 2008 finalists. Click on the photo or address for additional information.
1021 26th - Drake Neighborhood House
Built in 1895, this late Victorian illustrates the effect of Drake University’s innovative financing techniques on the planning and development of the residential neighborhoods surrounding its campus. This structure is listed in the National Register as a contributing resource in the Kingman Place historic district.
This house is on the DSMRC 2008 list of Des Moines' Seven Most Endangered Buildings.
Kitchen
The house currently has no utilities. A previous owner had started to install some newer cabinets, but had not updated the systems. [photo by Teva Dawson]
Front Bedroom
Interior of front bedroom. The historic character remains, though the physical condition of all the finishes is very poor. [photo by Teva Dawson]
Second Floor Hallway
[photo by Teva Dawson]
Bathroom
The bathroom is unusable as the house's utilities are off. [photo by Teva Dawson]
Newel Post
Carved newel post at the bottom of the main stairway. Most of the spindles are missing. [photo by Teva Dawson]
203 East Grand - Service Station
This building was erected in 1931 by Continental Oil as a training station for gasoline dealers. It is architecturally significant because underneath the current exterior paint, the building is terra cotta. It was recently sold to a new owner.
This building is on the DSMRC 2008 list of Des Moines' Seven Most Endangered Buildings.
Don's Service Station - Move Prep
Thanks to the tireless work of the East Village neighborhood association, $60,000 was raised to move this "most endangered" building from the wrecking ball. This photo shows preparations for the move - the mover had to dig trenches underneath the building before inserting huge steel beams to lift and relocate the masonry structure.
Don's Service Station - Move Prep
A bobcat positions the steel beams underneath the former Don's Service Station building in preparation for the move.
Don's Service Station - Building Move
The former Don's Service Station dates back to 1931 when it was erected by The Continental Oil Company (now ConocoPhillips) as a training station for gas dealers. Constructed of terra cotta in the Spanish Mission Revival style of architecture, the building served the east side of downtown Des Moines as a gas and service station nearly 80 years. JSC Properties, which is owned by Jim Cownie, acquired the property in August of 2008 as part of a larger real estate transaction. Cownie plans to develop the property as a parking lot.
Historic East Village has been working overtime to save this building from the wrecking ball - they passed first hurdle, and the building was moved on Saturday to a temporary site at 3rd and Walnut.
Here is video of the moving process:
Historic Gas Station Sold to Collector; Will Remain in East Village
The Historic East Village, Inc. (HEV) Board of Directors today inked an agreement with Jerry Bassman to finalize the purchase of the building formerly known as Don’s East Grand Texaco.
The gas station, removed from its original location at 203 E. Grand in April, has been sitting on a temporary site at E. 3rd and Walnut while HEV sought a buyer and worked to raise money to offset moving expenses. In May, the Board voted to list the building on eBay. Bassman, an antiques collector and regular eBay user, first saw the gas station listed there and became interested.
“When I saw the station listed on eBay without any bids, I was concerned we were going to lose it forever,” Bassman said. “I have a large collection of antiques and I just thought this would be a good little building to house them in.”
The purchase price is undisclosed, but is enough to cover HEV’s outstanding debt. Fundraising efforts produced more than half the expenses associated with saving the building, estimated at about $70,000.
Bassman owns EDM Storage, a collection of buildings at E. 6th and Des Moines streets, as well as the Northland Dairy building at 621 Des Moines Street. The station will be moved once again by Aug. 1 to its final location immediately east of the Northland Dairy building on what is now a vacant lot, also owned by Bassman. Mike Kinter, Kinter Construction, will work with Bassman to construct a foundation upon which the building will be placed so that it can be accessed at street level.
“There was no question this was the right decision,” Kinter said. “Not only does it keep the gas station in the neighborhood in which it was built, but also keeps it accessible to the public for years to come.”
Kinter and Bassman will also work to determine the building’s eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places, a requirement in acquiring any historic preservation grants and assistance.
The gas station building dates to 1931 when it was erected by The Continental Oil Company (now ConocoPhillips) as a flagship location in Des Moines. Constructed of terra cotta in the Spanish Mission Revival style of architecture, the building served the east side of downtown Des Moines as a gas and service station nearly 80 years. JSC Properties, which is owned by Jim Cownie, acquired the property at 203 E. Grand in August 2008 as part of a larger real estate transaction. Cownie has since developed that property as a parking lot.
In October 2008, the Des Moines Rehabber’s Club named the structure one of seven “Most Endangered Properties” in Des Moines. HEV continues to sell commemorative bricks salvaged from the station for a $100 donation to the organization. Call (515) 971-4364 for more information.
2930 Euclid - Former East Woodlawn School
This one-room schoolhouse-turned-private home was built in 1873. The school owes its name to the work of a former member of the Board of Education, Harry L. Gross, who wanted to perpetuate the name of the former Woodlawn Independent School District. One of the former owners, Samuel Blanc, is said to have invented the Roto-Rooter in the garage on the property.
This house is on the DSMRC 2008 list of Des Moines' Seven Most Endangered Buildings.
620 Scott - Rose Manor
In 1907, the Union of King’s Daughters settlement moved into this specially constructed building in an area of town known as the “Southeast Bottoms.” It housed the first kindergarten on the east side and served as a public wash house, dispensary and free clinic, bank, gymnasium and offered classes in cooking, dressmaking, singing, dramatics and more.
This structure is on the DSMRC 2008 list of Des Moines' Seven Most Endangered Buildings.
692 17th - Sherman Hill House
This Victorian-style home was built in 1893. It has been used as a private residence and a nursing home. The first floor housed a restaurant in 1988 when a blaze ruined the interior. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing resource in the Sherman Hill Historic District.
This house is on the DSMRC 2008 list of Des Moines' Seven Most Endangered Buildings.
901 19th - Kingsway Cathedral
Built in 1901, Kingsway Cathedral served its congregation until 2003, when the City of Des Moines ordered it closed because of structural problems. The issue over whether to demolish the structure or rehabilitate it has been controversial ever since. The cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing resource in the Sherman Hill Historic District.
This structure is on the DSMRC 2008 list of Des Moines' Seven Most Endangered Buildings.
Kingsway Cathedral Saved!
The Des Moines Register reports:
KLM International, an international evangelistic organization founded by Pastors Kenney and Neja Linhart, has bought the former Kingsway Cathedral property at 901 19th St. The cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was put on a list of buildings the Rehabbers Club deemed to be in imminent danger of neglect or demolition last year.
Church officials had tried to gain permission from the city to demolish the building, but those plans were derailed largely by resistance from preservationists and city staff. Over the past two years, the cathedral has been for sale for $4.5 million to $5.2 million, which included the estimated cost of making the renovations. The assessed value of the building is around $850,000.
... and they even mentioned the Most Endangered Buildings list!
Former Officers' Quarters, Fort Des Moines
These two buildings, both erected in the early 1900s, served as officer’s quarters prior to World War I, but have stood vacant since the late 1960s. Both buildings began as housing for cavalry officers and one of them may have been home to President Ronald Reagan as he trained and tested to be in the U.S. Cavalry. They originally had two-story wraparound porches that have been removed.
These two similar structures are on the DSMRC 2008 list of Des Moines' Seven Most Endangered Buildings.
Officers' Quarters Photos - Page 1
The person who nominated the Fort Des Moines former Officers' Quarters forwarded these photos taken circa 1986 and 2004, excerpted from an unknown book.
Officers' Quarters Photos - Page 2
The person who nominated the Fort Des Moines former Officers' Quarters forwarded these photos taken circa 1986 and 2004, excerpted from an unknown book.
Officers' Quarters Photos - Page 3
The person who nominated the Fort Des Moines former Officers' Quarters forwarded these photos taken circa 1986 and 2004, excerpted from an unknown book.
2008 Des Moines Seven Most Endangered Buildings Poster
Please feel free to download and print this poster (11x17 color if you have access to a capable printer). To download this 500k PDF file, click on the image thumbnail or on the link at the bottom of this article.
More information about the buildings on this list can be found at http://renovatedsm.com/node/316.
Special thanks to Sarah Oltrogge for the wonderful design!
Allegra Print and Imaging donated a run of 50 professional prints of this poster that you may see hanging up around town. Thanks!
Endangered Buildings Discussion Questions
Here is a list of questions to spark thinking about preservation and reuse of historic buildings. Please feel free to add your own suggested questions and/or responses in the comments below.
- What makes a building "historic"? Is it related to age, design, location, social context, occupancy, or some combination of these factors? Which is most important?
- Does a building have to be individually significant or architecturally unique to be worth preserving?
- How dependent on its physical context is a historic building? If nearby buildings are demolished, does it affect the historic character of the remaining structures?
- Is there ever a case when a historic building should be demolished? What are the determining factors?
- Is it acceptable to drastically alter the interior of a historic building if the outside appearance is preserved?
- Should there be restrictions on what people can do to historic buildings? Who should determine if a building is historic? What should the consequences be?