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.
Twin building?
There's a building very similar to this on the 100 block of SE 6th (across from Rowat Stone.) Could they be related somehow? How would it affect their preservation potential if they are?
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