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: