This 6-story mixed-use building represents the first phase of larger, 1.5 block development in Des Moines’ burgeoning East Village. The project marks another collaboration by the development team responsible for the nearby 350 East Locust. 219 East Grand applies a variation of the earlier building’s brick and weathered steel palette to provide a modern, durable complement to the district’s historic building fabric. Dark brick faces the building’s primary street facades. Weathered steel clads the building’s south, courtyard-facing elevation.
In addition to harboring storm water retention chambers beneath its lawn, the courtyard introduces a tenant amenity that is lacking in the East Village and will become more desirable as urban infill projects densify the neighborhood. Residents also enjoy access to the upper level terrace and shared amenity spaces for small group gatherings. The building’s 98 apartments include a mix of unit types, including an optional loft configuration for the 5th and 6th floors. These loft style units, with private terraces, modulate the building’s northern mass. Perforated galvanized steel balconies populate the remainder of the streetside façade.
A parking structure across the street provides dedicated spaces for residents, alleviating on-site requirements and maximizing the ground level’s flexibility. Along Grand Avenue and East 2nd Street, 17000-sf of retail space extend pedestrian shopping and dining from the East Village core toward the Riverwalk and downtown Des Moines.