Replacement for Highland Apartments growing to meet neighborhood's housing needs

In a sign of the growing popularity of Des Moines' Highland Park neighborhood, the development group chosen to build the replacement for a landmark apartment building says it's more than doubling the number of units it plans to build.

The four-story, mixed-use structure Invest DSM has chosen Sonar Development Partners to build on the former site of the Highland Apartments will now have 100 units, up from 40 to 50 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments in the original plan. The building it will replace had just 12.

The building, to be called the Commons, will also have a restaurant and retail space. It will be built on the southwest corner of Sixth and Euclid avenues in the neighborhood's rapidly revitalizing business district.

Sonar Development founder Brian Clark said the decision to expand the plan came as they looked to "balance the financial requirements needed to make this project go forward" with the needs of the neighborhood.

"So we have an increased density to 100 units while still maintaining a scale that’s appropriate and providing building materials that respect the context of Highland Park," he said.

Christopher Civitate, Invest DSM's development manager, said that the group will meet with neighbors later this spring to present more information on the project and garner feedback.

"There is still room for them to have input and make changes then," Civitate said.

Some Highland Park-area residents objected strongly to the demolition last September of the old building, vacant since 2018, despite the conclusion of Invest DSM and developers that the cost of dealing with severe water damage from a leaking roof would make restoration of the more-than-century-old structure unfeasible.

Work is slated to start in 2025. After the Commons is complete, Sonar will own and manage the building.

The firm is also the project manager for Total Health Experience, a $250 million medical campus planned in Urbandale.

Highland Park hurts for housing as business district booms

Once completed, the Commons will offer a mix of affordable and market-rate units, helping address a growing challenge in the neighborhood: while it has seen a slew of businesses open in recent months, Highland Park is lacking in housing affordable for its workforce.

The Commons will join smaller projects seeking to close the gap, including an effort to turn the upper level of the former Klein’s Department Store on Sixth Avenue into apartments affordable to tenants earning 60% or less of the area median income, or $57,120 for a family of four.

“I’m excited to play a part in continuing the momentum building in this area," Clark said. "Our goal is to provide much-needed housing that compliments the character of the area and honors the history of the site and neighborhood."

Addison Lathers covers growth and development for the Des Moines metro. Reach her at 608-931-1761 and [email protected], and follow and Twitter at @addisonlathers.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: New building at former Highland Apartments site will have far more units