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Commission approves residential option for 108 Third Street historic warehouse
Summary
The Des Moines Plan and Zoning Commission approved a site plan and a type 2 design alternative allowing consideration of residential units on the ground floor of a circa‑1901 warehouse at 108 Third Street; proponents cited historic restoration and tax credits, neighbors raised parking and trash concerns.
The Des Moines City Plan and Zoning Commission on April 17 approved a public‑hearing site plan and a type 2 design alternative that would allow residential units on the ground floor of the historic building at 108 Third Street in downtown Des Moines.
The building, a brick warehouse dated about 1901 in Polk County assessor records, is proposed for historic restoration and is being pursued in part to secure federal historic tax credits, planning staff said. The applicant asked the commission for flexibility while finalizing whether the ground floor would be renovated for commercial uses or converted to residential units to make financing feasible.
Jasmine Kamani, planning staff, said the building "is a historic brick warehouse circa 1901" and noted nearby properties already have ground‑floor residential units. Applicant representative Keith Wagon of CDA told the commission the request is "really more about providing some options for flexibility" as the developer refines the design and cost assumptions.
A neighborhood resident, Mary Anne Rector, said she supports reusing the vacant building but raised concerns about parking, the number of units planned and garbage pickup near the shared alley and trash sheds. Rector said her unit "looks at the back window" of the subject building and asked whether the project would increase garbage problems and attract unauthorized occupants to the trash enclosures. Wagon said the most recent proposal included 36 units and that the project would provide some on‑site parking on the north side of the building, rely on nearby on‑street parking and install a screened dumpster enclosure in the alley.
Commissioners discussed the preservation aspects and site logistics, and the commission voted to approve the site plan and the requested design alternative. The record notes one commissioner abstained from this vote; the transcript did not identify which commissioner abstained.
Planning staff and the applicant said final unit counts, parking assignments and detailed exterior work will be decided in the subsequent design and permitting phases. The project team said they are aiming to preserve original window openings and doorways where possible to meet historic preservation standards while making the building functional for modern occupancy.
The measure approved by the commission is advisory; the Des Moines City Council will hold the final public hearing and make the definitive land‑use and permitting decisions required for construction.
Details that remain to be settled include the final number of dwelling units, the exact on‑site parking plan and the final configuration of the dumpster enclosure; planning staff said those specifics will be reviewed during the site‑plan and building‑permit stages.
