213-215 Fifth Street

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Evaluation:

This is a contributing Fifth Street building within the historic district. This building is important for its wartime construction using concrete block.

District Characteristic	Yes	No	Findings/Recommendations
Two-story brick with narrow mass		X
Larger, broader massing		X
Other key façade features		X
Architectural style		X
Prominent location		X
Original façade materials	X
Upper fenestration pattern		X
Sympathetic Storefront Infill		X
Brick corbelled parapet		X
Cornice/coping (not metal)		X

Physical Description:

The north half (215) is an early wartime single-story concrete block building, the north half being added in 1946 . The current storefront and aluminum canopy date to 1963. The raised parapet is sheathed in corrugated steel.

Documented Alterations:

As of 1947 there was no canopy and the transom was infilled with glass block. It was re-fronted in 1963. Permits note a general remodeling in 1963 with a new storefront and a marquee at that time, B. Crow being the contractor. A new canopy was installed in 1978. Separate permits for 213 and 215 indicate that the building was double fronted after 1975 but the current building retains one centered entry.

Commercial History:

Business	Owner	Start	Stop	Notes of Interest
213 Fifth Street
Bings	Victoria Veiock	1998	current	Buys building January 1989
Heirlooms by Design		1997	2000	First rubber stamp store in Midwest, scrapbooks is successor to Outstamping Designs, started on side street 1993, second move
Kavanaugh Art Gallery		1991	1997	Second gallery at 131 Fifth
[antique sale]		1988
American Appliance		1984	1990
Jean’s Hallmark		1981	1983
Circle Gallery		1976
Critchett’s Warehouse Closeout		1978		Temporary warehouse, April
Western Auto		1958		Moved a block north***
Valley Art		1970	1980
Lambert Hardware		1956
215 Fifth Street
Bozz Prints	John Bosley	2019		Regional gallery
Styled by Goodwill		2018	2018	Pop-up November-December
Outstamping Designs	Marj Huber	2002	2017	Building sold, lost lease
WDM Community Center			2010	January
The Dublin Door		1990	1996	To February 1996
WDM Community Center		1983	1990
Professional Offset Printing		1970	1985	To 823 4^th by 1990
Coast to Coast Hardware		1965	1973
West Des Moines Hardware		1948	1971	Likely same as above
Construction	William den Hartog	1942, 1946		William den Hartog acquired this property in 1940 and built a 24 feet by 50 feet concrete block building to house his Western Auto company. . This building was specially designed for his business (Express, July 13, August 20, 1939; June 9, 1955). The building was destroyed in a spring 1942 fire and was immediately replaced with this building, that measured 140 feet by 24 feet, adding 215 Fifth in 1946 (Express, May 7, 1942; April 11, 1946; Register, July 26, December 23, 1942). It was open by December.