Page 68 - Reflect DSM (City of Des Moines, IA)

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Historic preservation programs do not
operate in a vacuum. The careful
integration of historic preservation work
into a community’s planning efforts and
objectives for each City department create
a framework for success.
The City’s population grew by over 10,000
between 2010 and 2020, and is projected to
grow to 265,000 by 2040. PlanDSM commits
to providing housing and other services and
amenities for the increasing population.
1
PlanDSM identifies the need to focus on
infill and redevelopment, and the City’s
Figure 28. 6908 Chaffee Road, a building on the Fort Des Moines recent adoption of an updated Zoning and
campus that has been rehabilitated and is in active use. (Source:
KKC) Planning and Design Codes reflect these
priorities. However, this growth also presents
new challenges to historic preservation.
Incorporating preservation objectives into
ongoing development efforts will ensure
new growth does not continue without
respect for the community’s existing
character.

Contemporary Challenges
Historic preservation programs can also
contribute in concrete ways to addressing
Figure 29. Ding Darling Shelter within Birdland Park has recently
been rehabilitated by the Parks Department and is ready for the social, economic, and material
community use. (Source: KKC) challenges facing the City of Des Moines.
They also serve to reflect community values
and priorities. The following are specific
contemporary issues, identified through the
planning process, that are addressed in
more detail by recommendations provided
in Chapter 4.

Loss of Cultural and Intangible Heritage
Des Moines’ historic preservation program,
including its regulatory approaches and
Figure 30. Wherry Block, a National Register designated building criteria, mirror to a large degree national
(Source: Stacey Hanley)
1 U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Des Moines city, Iowa.
(n.d.). Census Bureau QuickFacts. https://www.census.
gov/quickfacts/desmoinescityiowa

62 DES MOINES Citywide Historic Preservation Plan