A $7.4 million renovation of the Davidson Bros. Company Warehouse and Manufacturing Building in downtown Des Moines is expected to begin in the coming months, developer Jeff Stanbrough tells Axios.
Why it matters: The nearly 125-year-old building is one of the remaining anchors in the former industrial district, according to documents that helped lead to its recent addition to the National Register of Historic Places.
Driving the news: The Des Moines City Council last week approved a development agreement for the project with just over $1.9 million in incentives over the next 30 years.
- The completed project is expected to generate nearly $6.4 million in additional tax revenue during that period because of the improvements.
Flashback: Davidson Bros. was a produce wholesaler in the early 1900s and later expanded into distributing other products, including beer and cigars.
- Its most successful products were candy, which it manufactured, according to the historic application.
Zoom in: The building, at 108 Southwest Third St., was converted to office or retail space decades ago and housed a Saxton furniture store on its first floor before the company was acquired by Pigott in 2021.
- Each of its three floors has over 11,000 square feet and is already listed for future tenants.
Behind the scenes: Much of the renovation will take place indoors, with designers focusing on exposed brick and restoring wood floors.
- The exterior of the building stands out for its prominent use of round-arch openings in doors and windows, with the front awning removed to showcase its architecture, Stanbrough said.
What’s next: The project is expected to be finished next year…