National Register of Historic Places

Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
Listed
January 24, 2017
Type
Building
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
100000561

About this property

The Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building, also known as American Federal Savings and the Catholic Pastoral Center, is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Completed in 1962, it is considered to be "one of the most well-known examples of mid-century modern architecture in Des Moines." It was designed by the prominent Chicago architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and it is one of the first steel and glass modernist buildings in the city's downtown. Initially, the roof was designed to be suspended from two lengthwise trusses, similar van der Rohe's designs at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. That design was abandoned for a simpler and more direct design that features a steel-frame, glass-infill, and granite and travertine marble on the base. The three-story building rises to the height of 40.25 feet (12.27 m). It was built for the Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines and later American Federal Savings, which failed in 1990 amid the country's savings and loan crisis. There was concern that the building would be torn down, so the Des Moines City Council designated it as a local landmark. In 1992 philanthropist Ed Ochylski acquired it and donated it to the Diocese of Des Moines, which converted it into its headquarters. From 2016 to 2017, the building underwent a $10 million renovation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.

Location

601 Grand Ave.
Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
41.58816, -93.62573
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

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American Republic Insurance Company Headquarters Building
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Questions about this property

When was Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building listed on the National Register?

Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 24, 2017.

What type of historic resource is Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building?

Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building?

The period of significance for Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building is recorded as the early_republic era.

Can I research the history near Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Des Moines Building?

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