Being Neighborly Part of Plan - Des Moines Register article, February 7, 2008.

The Des Moines Register published a wonderful story about Jack Daugherty's renovation project in the Union Park neighborhood. Daugherty, a project manager with Koester Construction, purchased and renovated the house next door to the one he and his family live in.

Daugherty made use of funding from the city of Des Moines and the nonprofit Neighborhood Finance Corporation to complete the project, but expects to make little if any profit from the sale.

He never intended the project to be about money.

"This isn't a 'flip' " said Daugherty, a project manager with Koester Construction. "We bought it to help keep control of the neighborhood."

Daugherty said the renovation project at 1711 E. Eighth St. shows prospective buyers the potential in old houses. The structure was built in 1894.

"People are afraid of these old houses because of all the work," he said, "but I wanted to prove that it can be done."

The purchase price was $65,000 and he listed it at completion for $137,000.