This home is perfect for home buyers with a passion for conserving local history. This rare, turn-of-the-19th-century “double house” is for sale in Sherman Hill, ready to function as a quirky, turnkey family residence, or split up into a high-potential investment opportunity.
Created out of two symmetrical buildings at 618 and 620 16th St. in Des Moines, home ownership equals two kitchens, two laundry spaces, two front doors, and a grand total of 13 rooms to spark the imagination. The original developers envisaged owners would live on one side of the house and pay the bills by renting out the other.
Listed at $850,000 by Realtor Darla Willett-Rohrssen, the property has been host to single families, multiple apartment tenants, commercial enterprises and in recent years, a series of owners who have maintained and preserved its vintage charms during the past century.
“It's an exciting piece. It really is,” said Willett-Rohrssen. “I hope the person that buys it does something fun with it. There's just so many options.”
Today, the layout of the Italianate-style, 4,247-square-foot home at the corner of 16th Street and Woodland Avenue features three bedrooms and three bathrooms on each side of the house, and access via the front or rear porches. The footprint allows an extended family to live side-by-side, each with their own independence and privacy.
Behind a robust red brick exterior, the two-story house is filled with natural light, restored wood finishes and antique accents, including sliding pocket doors and two fireplaces. Although very similar, Willett-Rohrssen explained the interior plans of the two homes have shifted over the years and “do have a little, different setup,” most noticeably in the dining rooms and kitchen spaces.
This is only one of three comparable properties built in 1902. Des Moines lagged behind other urban centers in building similar scale, duplex homes. Research conducted
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Other assets include direct access to a two-car garage, negating the need for parking on one of Sherman Hill’s inclined streets, and an outdoor space on the southern side of the house equipped with a shaded gazebo. “The sizable yard is something in that neighborhood you don’t normally get,” Willett-Rohrssen said.
On the north side of the building, an unusual, 575-square-foot addition is well suited to be used as a home workshop or office space. With City permission, it could once again be converted into a commercial project. At one time, the boxy brick structure was occupied by a sandwich shop and its abandoned cutlery has been randomly discovered in the home.
Buyers with a trained eye on the local real estate scene will already be aware of Sherman Hill’s prime location and coveted proximity to downtown. The house is a brisk walk from the Gateway Market, famed restaurant Aposto at the Scala House, Lua Brewing and the popular Vietnamese menu at A Dong.
Homeowners will also be able to relax on the porch with views of Hoyt Sherman Place across the street. Willett-Rohrssen suggested the house was large enough to convert one side into an Airbnb to attract attendees travelling to Hoyt Sherman events.
The home is listed at $850,000 by Darla Willett-Rohrssen of Iowa Realty Mills Crossing. Contact her at 515-203-6108 for more information and a private showing.
Where: 618 16th St., Des Moines
Asking price: $850,000
Year built: 1902
Square footage: 4,247 square feet
Lot size: 0.20 acres
Richard Lane is a freelance writer for the Des Moines Register. If you have a home we should feature, reach out to Susan Stapleton at sstapleton@gannett.com.
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