The Val-Gate District was conceived as a unique and identifiable redevelopment of a 1950’s commercial district in West Des Moines with a prevailing Mid-Century Modern aesthetic.  As part of a multi-parcel redevelopment project, a group of 3 obsolete buildings originally constructed in the 1980s were removed to allow for a commercial anchor tenant building and this adjacent speculative retail building.

The new 5000sf wood framed structure was constructed on existing salvaged foundations and floor slab allowing for economical and efficient construction during the winter months and reusing the building’s site and utility infrastructure.  

The architects devised a logical bay spacing for flexible tenant configurations and storefront could be easily modified to allow for a variety of entry points. The building backs to an industrial manufacturing facility to the west and opens to the east for maximum visibility and signage. A simple, stylized natural material palette of fiber-cement panels and aluminum storefront is accented by upswept galvanized steel light columns which give the building a dramatic & modern street presence with a distinctly mid-century style.