West Des Moines, IA
Home Menu132-134 Fifth Street
Evaluation:
This is a contributing Fifth Street building within the historic district. It is a substantial example of the late Queen Anne commercial style.
District Characteristic |
Yes |
No |
Findings/Recommendations |
Two-story brick with narrow mass |
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X |
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Larger, broader massing |
X |
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Other key façade features |
X |
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Architectural style |
X |
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Prominent location |
X |
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Prominent by virtue of its own scale and its association with similar larger plans in the north half of this block. |
Original façade materials |
X |
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Upper fenestration pattern |
X |
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Sympathetic Storefront Infill |
X |
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The central section of the ground floor is infilled with three doors that presumably access rear tenants downstairs and upstairs tenants. Need historical photo to determine building evolution. |
Brick corbelled parapet |
X |
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Cornice/coping (not metal) |
X |
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Physical Description:
This is the most substantial two-story block in the 100 block, west side. Originally a triple-storefront plan, the upper façade employs broad pilasters to define bookend half bays and an oversized central bay. These do not align with the present double storefront and its centered entrances. The brickwork steps out each parapet base to form still recessed spandrels that remain subordinate to the pilaster side frames. The parapet itself is then brought flush with the latter, and has a base of broad square-cut corbelled brackets. The side windows are broadly cut and the two central bay windows are actually nearly flush set three-sided bay windows (these echo that found on 124 Fifth). The bay panel effect is also bordered across each base with corbelled brick courses that bring the wall plane to flush. The storefront was substantially bricked in by 1964 with a centered row of three single doors, the center one being the upstairs entry. The ceiling was lowered at this time (Express, November 5, 1964). The original windows were 6/1 or 4/1. A now separate gable roof brick single story addition (pre-1920) is offset south and measures 15 feet by 31 feet).
Documented Alterations:
A. M. Thurtle announced plans to build at this location in the spring of 1905 although he didn't purchase the site until 1918 (Express, March 30, 1915). The bricked-in central storefront, present by 1968 has been opened with twin openings that lead to recessed entrances. The south storefront reduced windows have been enlarged downward to match the north storefront. Replacement windows include transoms. Windows have been replaced with “palladian” sets eliminating the bay window effect. Brick rear addition, now separate, likely dates to Pollard-Walton expansion (Express, June 18, 1914). Permits for 132 note electrical work in 1971 and plumbing work in 1984. Permits for 134 note a lowered ceiling, tile floor and a new front in 1964 and a general remodel in 1977. The building has an apparent new and recessed west wall given that it no longer engages the rear brick wing.
Commercial History:
132 Fifth Street
Business |
Owner |
Start |
Stop |
Notes of Interest |
Yarns of Iowa |
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current |
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Yarn Connection |
|
2014 |
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Found Treasures |
Ruth Paflas |
2010 |
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R Home & Pegasus Gallery |
Regina Glawe |
2009 |
2010 |
|
Calla |
Kim Wessel |
2008 |
2009 |
Calla was at West Glen, moved to VJ in 2008, also had store in Davenport, Glawe buys in 2009 and renames as R Home |
Santa Fe Trading Company |
|
2001 |
2007 |
Southwestern theme |
Invision Architecture |
|
2000 |
2004 |
Suite A |
Signature Interior Accents |
|
1995 |
2000 |
132 Fifth, interior accents, gifts |
Guenther, Dion, Larsen & Associates |
|
1995 |
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Simonson & Asso. Architects |
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1993 |
2000 |
Suite A |
Horseman Lounge |
|
1985 |
1993 |
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VFW Auxiliary Craft & Bake Sale |
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1989 |
November |
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1982 |
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One bedroom apt. with bath, $160 a month |
The Town Pump |
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1977 |
1981 |
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LaBamba Club/Restaurant & Lounge |
Benjamin Meza |
1970 |
1976 |
|
Lee’s Lunch/Blue Moon Café & Tavern |
Sam Rodish |
1960 |
1971 |
Café adjoins the tavern, Rodish owns both-so whole storefronts? $500 fire damage (Tribune, February 16, 1967) from front vent with smoke damage both businesses. Health Dept. closes café for a dozen violations (Register, March 22, 1971). Building contains the tavern, a restaurant and four apartments and a sleeping room (Register, June 12, 1965). |
Glenn’s Tavern and Cafe |
Glenn B. Read |
1960 |
1961 |
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Three room apt. with bath, $47.50 a month |
Circus Lounge |
William Daly Jr. |
1958 |
1959 |
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The Spot |
James L. Roth |
1951 |
1954 |
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Oasis Tavern/Club |
|
1945 |
1948 |
County liquor stamp, November |
“Exhibition Building” |
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|
1939 |
5th annual corn festival, 100 exhibitors of corn, grains & poultry, by WDM Commercial Club (Tribune, October 20, 1939) |
Iowa State Liquor Store #44 |
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1934 |
1937 |
22’x70’ lease, $30 a month-fully occupies building August 1938 |
The Pig’N Whistle |
Arthur Rollings, Hobart Spencer |
1935 |
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Gambling raid, 1935 |
McLaren Furniture |
|
1929 |
1932 |
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1920 |
Café and rooms, “best in town” for lease (Register, October 11, 1920) |
Jewell lunch |
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1919 |
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Pringle’s billiards |
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1917 |
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Pollard’s Hardware |
F. C. Pollard |
1913 |
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Samuelson’s tin shop |
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1912 |
1922 |
Back of plan |
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Donnell’s ? Restaurant |
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See photo |
Gamber the plumber |
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1915 |
1916 |
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Iverson’s restaurant |
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1914 |
1922 |
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1920 |
Restaurant and rooms upstairs, good business, sells due to health (Tribune September 25, 1920) |
Construction, Thurtle Block |
Albert M. Thurtle |
1898 |
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Albert M. Thurtle acquired this property in late 1898 and built this block in 1905, his contractor being R. E. Rigler (Express, August 10, October 5, 26, 1905; February 8, 1906). |
134 Fifth Street
Business |
Owner |
Start |
Stop |
Notes of Interest |
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|
|
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AOK Tag |
|
2017 |
|
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Lillian’s |
Lavonne Kimmes, Jennifer Freking |
2007 |
2010 |
Handbags, new owner Oct. 2010 adds clothing, famous for Diva Dives-private sales sessions |
The Potting Station |
Sandy Latte |
2005 |
2006 |
|
The Write Touch |
Christine Cobb |
1997 |
2005 |
From 113 Fifth, to 209 Fifth in May |
Classic Collection |
Lisa and Marian Lyddon |
1994 |
1997 |
Career clothing |
La-Maranne Boutique |
Sandra Carlson, Lavonne Pruitt |
1991 |
1993 |
Closes after flood, had moved to this location in June 1991 from 312 Fifth, no loss to stock in flood. |
Blue Moon Tavern |
|
|
1965 |
Photo shows in 134 Fifth that year |
West Side Recreation Center |
E. R. Rice, Sam Rodish, Dave Haskell |
1960 |
1961 |
Private billiards-city kicks out teens and declines to allow 16-year olds to play pool, sell 3 pool and 2 snooker tables June 1961. |
Vacant |
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1945 |
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VFW Lounge |
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1950 |
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Found at 128 Fifth in 1961 |
Flower’s Tavern |
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1940 |
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Rite-Way Cleaners |
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1940 |
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Iverson’s restaurant |
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1917 |
1920 |
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Horning’s Billiards |
|
1915 |
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Vandenburg Drug |
|
1915 |
1940 |
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Construction, Thurtle Block |
Albert M. Thurtle |
1898 |
|
Albert M. Thurtle acquired this property in late 1898 and built this block in 1905, his contractor being R. E. Rigler (Express, August 10, October 5, 26, 1905; February 8, 1906). |
2016 (Jacobsen)
Assessor’s photo, April 28, 2014
Assessor’s photo, February 13, 2013
Assessor’s photo, March 23, 2005
Assessor’s photo, February 28, 2000
Assessor’s photo, May 15, 1999
Vogel Survey, April 1998
1970
1965-shows three storefronts
Iowa State Liquor Store
1924
Tribune, May 2, 1923
Ca.1920s
Clelious Vandenburg in his drug store, 1915 (Register, August 4, 1968)
1908, 1910