The city of Des Moines will begin negotiations to purchase three contiguous buildings on Euclid Avenue, which are adjacent to the former IOOF Hall/Drug Store at 200 Euclid Ave. Image provided by Des Moines Heritage Trust
The Des Moines City Council Monday authorized city staff to begin negotiations to purchase three contiguous buildings on Euclid Avenue, near the Second Avenue intersection, to assemble one larger piece of property for redevelopment.
The three buildings, at 206, 208, and 210 Euclid Ave. are adjacent to the former IOOF Hall/Drug Store at 200 Euclid Ave.
The council’s decision on Monday will increase the chances of a successful historic renovation project on the site, said Carrie Kruse, the city’s economic development administrator, in an email following the meeting.
“Site assembly allows for coordinated planning, shared infrastructure improvements, more efficient building design, and stronger overall project economics,” Kruse said. “Rather than addressing each parcel independently, a unified approach creates flexibility in design and financing, reduces redevelopment risk and makes the project more attractive to development partners.”
The council authorized staff to begin negotiations to purchase the three parcels at 206, 208, and 210 Euclid Ave., for up to $600,000. The buildings, constructed in 1900, 1910 and 1930 respectively, are listed on the assessor’s page as normal to below normal condition.
The current assessed value of 206 Euclid is $69,200, the value of 208 Euclid is $109,400, and the current value of 210 Euclid is $87,700.
As staff begins negotiations for the purchase of the parcels, the city is waiting to close on its acquisition of the IOOF Hall/Drug Store building, which was added to the Des Moines Heritage Trust’s endangered buildings list in 2024.
The city council entered into a purchase agreement for the building in 2024, but the seller couldn’t meet the terms of the agreement, so a new purchase agreement had to be drafted. That revised agreement was approved in 2025.
Kruse said the city sought requests for proposals to redevelop the 200 Euclid building and selected a proposal from a group called Housing for All, which has experience in adaptive reuse of historic buildings.
The group’s proposed plan includes ground floor commercial space and a total of 10 housing units that will be a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units. According to the proposal, Estes Construction will provide general contracting services for the project.
The Housing for All proposal also includes a concept for a new building that would be built to the south of the historic structure with 16 housing units, including 12 one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units.
Kruse said city staff will begin working with Housing For All to evaluate the adjacent parcels as part of a larger redevelopment plan.
“By expanding the scope of this project, we aim to develop a more comprehensive strategy while positioning the entire eastern half of this block for long-term success,” she said in the email.
Kruse said preserving historic buildings continues to be a priority for the city, and that redeveloping the Euclid Avenue properties will “contribute to the architectural character and historic fabric of the Highland Park and Oak Park neighborhoods.”
