A Residential Transformation for 900 Vine St.
A five-story, 160-unit mixed-use development called Iron Horse is slated for the vacant surface parking lot at 900 Vine St. in downtown Des Moines. Developer Brian Clark of Sonar Development Partners, operating as 900 Vine LLC, expects to close on the property purchase in September. Construction is slated to begin next spring.
Public Funding and Sustainability Targets
The $42.5 million project aims to turn a former Wells Fargo campus parking lot into a residential hub. According to Des Moines City Council documents, the building will house 7,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space beneath 160 residential units. On Monday, the City Council will review an Urban Renewal Development Agreement for the site, which proposes a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) incentive worth up to $4.6 million over 15 years. This subsidy covers approximately 10.6% of the total project financing.
Sustainability plans include drought-tolerant landscaping, low-flow interior fixtures, and a flat roof engineered to support future solar panel installation.
From Parking Lot to Urban Core
The 900 Vine St. site was one of two surface parking lots included in the $32 million sale of the Wells Fargo downtown campus to DMCRE1. That broader transaction also encompassed the Skyview building at 800 Walnut St., the Northstar building at 801 Walnut St., the Towers building at 206 Eighth St., the Founders Building at 207 Ninth St., and a 1,600-stall parking garage at 800 Mulberry St.
Carrie Kruse, the city’s economic development administrator, noted that the transition of these surface lots from parking reserves to active development represents a significant opportunity for the south side of the downtown core. The area is zoned for downtown mixed-use, which mandates a minimum of three stories and a maximum of eight.
Leaning Into Railroad History
Developer Brian Clark pointed to the proximity to the Pro Iowa Soccer Stadium and Global Plaza project as a primary driver for the investment. He noted that the city’s infrastructure and development commitments in the Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway corridor influenced his decision to pursue the site.
The project, designed in collaboration with Substance Architecture and Kraus-Anderson, intends to incorporate the area’s railroad history into its aesthetic. Clark stated that the “Iron Horse” branding will be reflected in the building’s design elements, potentially through the use of raw steel and thematic signage. Beyond the residential and commercial units, the facility will include indoor bicycle storage, a fitness center, and community rooms.
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