418 E Grand is a 132-unit apartment development in the heart of Des Moines’ East Village, featuring 15,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space designed to activate one of the city’s most vibrant urban corridors. Developed by Nelson and designed by BNIM, the project brings contemporary market-rate housing to one of Des Moines’ most sought-after neighborhoods.
Canary Lofts
Canary Lofts is a 135-unit apartment community with ground-level retail in Des Moines’ Drake neighborhood, situated directly across from Drake University’s campus. The ground-up development brings contemporary urban housing to one of Des Moines’ most established and walkable neighborhoods.
Miesblock
Miesblock is a three-story mixed-use building in the core of downtown Des Moines, featuring ground-level restaurant space with full-height windows that engage the street and upper floors wrapped in a perforated metal veil that references the Bauhaus design language of the adjacent historic Mies van der Rohe Catholic Pastoral Center. The project balances contemporary commercial design with a thoughtful architectural response to its historic surroundings.
Des Moines Building
The Des Moines Building is a historic 12-story downtown landmark, originally designed by Proudfoot, Rawson, Souers & Thomas and erected in 1931, reimagined by Nelson into 136 market-rate apartments with ground-level office, retail, and restaurant space. The $25 million adaptive reuse project preserves the building’s original Art Deco lobby detailing and iconic 360-degree rooftop patio, with direct access to the downtown skywalk system and a private pocket park created in partnership with the City of Des Moines.
e300
e300 is a mixed-use development in downtown Des Moines’ East Village, combining ground-level restaurant and retail space with 79 market-rate apartments above, anchored by one of the largest residential geothermal systems in Iowa. The building’s rooftop fitness center, rooftop patio, and private balconies on each unit offer residents panoramic views of the Iowa State Capitol and the Des Moines skyline.
615 3rd Street
615 Third Street is a 50,000 square foot entertainment and retail development in Des Moines’ East Village, created in partnership with inPlay Franchise Services through the renovation of a three-story building and the addition of a 6,000 square foot banquet facility. The project transformed a downtown property into a full-service venue offering dining, arcade games, inflatables, laser tag, and rock climbing.
The Liberty Building
The Liberty Building is a 12-story historic landmark in downtown Des Moines, converted by Nelson into a premium mixed-use development featuring a Hyatt Place hotel, 16 luxury residential condominiums on floors nine through eleven, commercial office space, and a ground-floor private health club. The project restored one of Des Moines’ most recognized buildings, bringing permanent residents and new businesses back to the heart of downtown.