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 first annual list was released on October 15, 2008. Click HERE to view the list.

• 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.