Preservation at its Best 2018, Adaptive Reuse: Mack-International Motor Truck Corp. Building (Des Moines) The Mack-International Motor Truck Corp. Building was constructed in 1924 by master builder and general contractor J.E. Lovejoy as a Mack branch sales and service center, with second-floor offices for use by Lovejoy and other tenants. Annexes where built in about 1931 and 1940. The building… Read more »
Preservation at its Best 2017, Multi-Family Residential: Franklin Apartments (Des Moines) For many years, the property at 1811 6th Avenue seemed to be a forgotten set from a Hollywood horror movie. The hulking, vacant, deteriorating 6,000+ square foot converted mansion evoked a sense of unease and disregard. Cloaked by wildly growing bushes and trees, the… Read more »
Preservation at its Best 2017, Community Effort: Bent River Brewery (Burlington) The former JC Penney building is an L-shaped 2 ½ story building of approximately 18,000 square feet located at 500 Jefferson St. in the heart of downtown Burlington. It had sat empty since the summer of 1977 when a retail mall was constructed in adjacent West Burlington. No… Read more »
2016 Preservation at its Best, Residential: The Randolph The Randolph—previously the Hotel Randolph—combines three historic buildings into one complex. The three buildings—dating back to 1876, 1896 and 1912—had been combined into one hotel with 101 tiny units. Though it was one hotel, the three buildings were different both in their style and in their construction…. Read more »
2016 Preservation at its Best, Large Commercial: American Enterprise Group The American Republic Insurance Company building is an 8-story building located on the northeast corner of Sixth Avenue and Watson Powell Jr. Way in Des Moines. Designed in 1965 by one of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP’s legendary principal architects, Gordon Bunshaft. The American Republic… Read more »
2016 Preservation at its Best, Small Commercial: State Theatre The State Theatre—originally called the New Graham—opened in 1893. The theatre holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest continuously operating cinema theatre, having been in operation since May 14, 1897. The rehabilitation included removal of the blonde street level brick and exposing the original arcade… Read more »
2016 Preservation at its Best, Small Commercial: Walden Block This project involved four discreet historic buildings in downtown Waterloo. The buildings, built between 1880’s and 1950s, displayed the transitions of Waterloo from the 1880’s through the art deco period of the 1930’s and into the growth of the 1950’s. It is a visual architectural history… Read more »
Historic Tax Credit bill passes House [Updated: 4/22/2016] Info below from the Iowa Bankers Association, weekly update: Historic tax credit bill passes Iowa Senate committee HF 2443 passed the Iowa Senate week with an unfavorable amendment. The bill helps deal with several Department of Economic Development programs including important changes to the Historic Tax Credit program…. Read more »
