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ACTION PLAN

Introduction

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The Sherman Hill Association has worked with the City of Des Moines to create this plan as part of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP). The NRP was created by the Des Moines City Council and the Polk County Board of Supervisors ten years ago to help stabilize and improve Des Moines neighborhoods. At that time, a nationally recognized consultant was retained to evaluate the existing programs and to provide guidance for the creation of the NRP. To coordinate this program, the City's Community Development Department created the Neighborhood Development Division.

This program uses a strategy that calls for neighborhood residents, the City of Des Moines, Polk County, and local business leaders to develop a public/private partnership that addresses revitalization issues within the metropolitan area. To participate recognized neighborhoods must submit an application and make a presentation to the Neighborhood Revitalization Board. The neighborhood planning process relies on active resident groups to identify critical neighborhood issues in their area. The staff of the Neighborhood Development Division provides technical assistance and planning coordination. Neighborhood Planning staff work with the neighborhood group to develop and implement appropriate goals and a feasible action plan. These neighborhood action plans provide a list of activities and identify the parties responsible for implementation. The success of the revitalization depends on a continued coordination of effort between and among the neighborhood organization, the City, County, the Neighborhood Finance Corporation, and private organizations.

Since its inception, 15 neighborhoods have completed the process of creating a neighborhood action plan. Of those 15 neighborhoods, 6 have successfully completed the process by accomplishing most of the activities in their action plans. The six neighborhoods are capable of continuing implementation activities with less support from the City and have graduated to the Charter status.

This plan was prepared through a joint effort of the City of Des Moines Neighborhood Development Section of the Community Development Department and the Sherman Hill Neighborhood Association. The final approved plan becomes an amendment to the City's Comprehensive Plan and becomes an ongoing guide affecting future policy decisions for the area.

What's Inside

  • Description
  • History
  • Demographics
  • Housing
  • Implementation
  • Future Land Use
  • Neighborhood Finance Corporation Lending Policy
  • Neighborhood Infrastructure Rehabilitation Program
  • Glossary

    Action Plan

    Description

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    The Sherman Hill Neighborhood is one of the city's oldest and most distinctive urban neighborhoods. Located directly west of the downtown business district, Sherman Hill is really an extension of downtown life. The Sherman Hill Neighborhood boundaries are formed by I-235 on the North, Ingersoll Avenue to the South; 15th Street on the East; and, on the western edge, Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (MLK).

    At this time, the Sherman Hill Neighborhood is served by a series of minor and major arterial and collector streets that provide connections to downtown, the MacVicar Freeway, Drake University, and the entire West Side. Presently, north-south access is provided primarily by Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, 19th Street, and 15th Street and east-west access is provided by Ingersoll Avenue, High Street, Woodland Avenue, Center Street, and Crocker Street that connects to Cottage Grove Avenue.

    The Sherman Hill Neighborhood has several key facilities within its boundaries that contribute to the neighborhood as well as facilities located next to the neighborhood. These include Woodland Cemetery, Hoyt Sherman Place, Wilkie House, Wallace House, Edmunds Academy, Kingsway Cathedral, Oakridge Neighborhood, Planned Parenthood and Iowa Methodist Medical Center.

    History

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    The early history of the neighborhood known now as Sherman Hill goes back to 1850 when much of the land in the area was in the estate of Hugh Pursley. When the estate went to public sale, the Postmaster of Des Moines, Hoyt Sherman, purchased a five-acre parcel located at what is now the corner of 15th Street and Woodland Avenue for $105. This was to become the location of his home and is today Hoyt Sherman Place, home of the Des Moines Women's Club.

    Between the 1850s and 1880s, Des Moines experienced substantial growth and prosperity which can be attributed in part to being a staging area for a large part of America's pioneers as they headed west. In 1857, when it was named as the capital of Iowa, Des Moines had expanded to nearly 30,000 people and had grown westward to the bluffs that are today the Sherman Hill Neighborhood. Most of the land was platted between 1877 and 1882 and developed into a stylish Victorian suburb. Ornately decorated houses, mostly wood frame with a few brick intermixed, were built on spacious lots with carriage houses and storage sheds along the alleys. These first houses -varied in size from small cottages to large mansions, but nearly all possessed unifying architectural elements such as porches, verandahs, and projecting bays, that were popular in the Victorian architecture of the time.

    During these Victorian years, the neighborhood became home to many of the City's most prominent businessmen and community leaders. Among them were banker George Maish; Lafayette Young, publisher of the Des Moines Capital and U.S. Senator from 1910-11; T. Fred Henry, bandleader and musician; and "Uncle" Henry Wallace, founder of Wallace's Farm and Dairyman which is known today nationally as Wallace's Farmer. During this same time, the neighborhood became a home to Des Moines' growing Jewish Community. This community included Meyer Rosenfield, co-founder of the Frankel clothing store; and Aaron and Marcus Younker, whose department stores can be found in many Iowa communities today. Other notable Jewish families who have lived in the neighborhood are the Tone, Leon, Schloss, Strauss, Samish, & William McHenry families.

    After 1900, the pressures of a growing urban city changed the character of the neighborhood with the debut of multi-family buildings. These units, unlike earlier construction, were nearly all brick and took the form of double houses and apartment buildings. By the 1920s these duplexes and apartment buildings were scattered throughout the neighborhood changing its character from that of a lower density, single family development to a distinctively urban neighborhood.

    After World War I, Des Moines experienced an influx of people both from other cities and from rural areas. The central location of the neighborhood and streetcar access made it an ideal location for the new arrivals and equally undesirable to the current residents. By the end of World War II, residences were being divided into duplexes, apartments, and rooming houses and many of the neighborhood's early residents had moved to the City's growing western neighborhoods. This process encouraged absentee landlords, vandalism, and neglect among the once stately residences. The 1960's brought a new problem as numerous modern apartment buildings were introduced into the neighborhood. These new buildings were out of scale with the existing architectural and social fabric and contributed to the decline that the neighborhood experienced in the 1960's and 1970's.

    The Sherman Hill Association was formed in 1977 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and improvement of the historic neighborhood, the enhancement of the social environment, and the encouragement of civic pride. Through the efforts of its members, the area has maintained a prominent place in Des Moines' heritage and its architecture earned distinction as a National Register Historic District in 1979. The area was also designated as Des Moines' first local historic district in 1982. Today the Sherman Hill Association is supported by a diverse membership of individuals, families, landlords and neighborhood business property owners. The neighborhood has created a special niche for itself with the historic character of its older single-family and multi-family housing. The preservation of that housing stock has encouraged a movement of people back to the city. Even more, it has created an environment that is diverse in income, households, race, and age.

    There are numerous factors that continue to draw people to Sherman Hill and have helped fuel the renaissance of the neighborhood. Sherman Hill is an "urban" neighborhood that offers a rare concentration of rich architecture and history that can be found few places in the Des Moines metropolitan area. The proximity of Sherman Hill to downtown, the Ingersoll and Cottage Grove Business Districts, and Iowa Methodist Medical Center all contribute to Sherman Hill's desirability. These factors all work together to help the neighborhood overcome negative forces, including absentee landlords, deteriorating housing, negative perceptions of the area, and the changing role of Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in the City's transportation network.

    In recent years the Sherman Hill Association has succeeded in its efforts to enhance more aspects of quality of life in the neighborhood. That dedication has resulted in many improvements to the area. Among their more notable accomplishments are the addition of historic street lighting, the success of the annual Walking Tour (which had over 2500 participants during its 22nd anniversary in 1998), and reduction in crime, increased property values and numerous rehabilitation projects spearheaded by the residents and the association.

    Sherman Hill became one of the City's first recognized neighborhood associations in 1993. After the association made application during the summer of 1997, Sherman Hill was selected for designation by the City of Des Moines and Polk County to address needs in the areas of infrastructure, crime, housing, and commercial development.

    Demographics

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    The Sherman Hill Neighborhood has experienced a decrease in population over the past few decades, while the city's population has remained relatively stable. According to the 1990 U.S. Census, the total population for the Sherman Hill Neighborhood was 1865 persons. The neighborhood's population decreased by ten percent from 1980 and 1990 and decreased thirty-one percent between 1970 and 1980. The substantial decrease in population can be attributed to several factors. Much of the population decrease, however, is the result of efforts to convert an increased number of units back toward their original density. By working to achieve the original density for which the neighborhood was built, the Sherman Hill Association hopes to promote a quality of life with desirable, livable spaces and to provide a variety of housing options to persons with a range of incomes.

    The Sherman Hill neighborhood has remained ethnically and culturally diverse over the past thirty years. This diversity is one of the strengths that continue to draw people to the area to live and work. By preserving the diversity of its residents and the historic character of its structures, the Sherman Hill Association seeks to create a strong, healthy, sustainable neighborhood. The 1990 Census shows that 22% percent of the residents identify themselves as minorities. The minority population is down 5% percent from 1980. The greatest increases from 1980 to 1990 occurred in the number of Asian and Hispanic residents who live in Sherman Hill. The total for Asian residents increased from two percent in 1980 to six percent in 1990. The increase in Hispanic residents was less substantial, increasing from two to three percent overall.

    The Sherman Hill neighborhood's wide range of ages has remained stable from 1970 to 1990. (See chart) The median age for the area has increased slightly from 30 years of age in 1980 to almost 32 years of age in 1990 (the median age for the City was 32 years in 1990). This combination of youth, families, and elderly is one of the neighborhood's sources of vitality.

    The Sherman Hill neighborhood has seen a growing disparity in the median income of the neighborhood versus the City of Des Moines. In 1990, the median income of Census Tract 27 that includes Sherman Hill was one-half that of the City as a whole.

    Housing values and sales prices suggest that the median income of Sherman Hill be on the rise. This increase can be credited to an increasing number of new residents moving into the neighborhood to rehabilitate older homes and resident owners who work to improve the quality of rental units. As more structures are converted back to their original density, the median income of the neighborhood should continue to rise while retaining a wide range of income levels. Additionally, Sherman Hill possesses a larger percentage of college graduates than the City of Des Moines. In comparison, 37% of Sherman Hill residents have a college education; this contrasts to 26% for the City as a whole.

    Housing

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    According to the Polk County Assessor's Office, the housing stock in the Sherman Hill neighborhood is generally sound. The highest concentration of deteriorated structures is in the vicinity of Leyner Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. A few vacant structures need to be rehabilitated or redeveloped; the most significant of these are located at 1620 Pleasant, 721 16th Street, 834 19th Street and 692 17th Street.

    For this planning process, the County Assessor's housing rating system was used to determine the condition of housing. In previous planning processes, an external visual assessment was used to assign a condition of one through four (1-4) to a structure, with one being the best condition and four the worst. The County Assessor's condition ratings were roughly equated to the previous condition rating definitions for general comparison to the older data. The County Assessor data was selected because it takes into account additional factors that affect property value rather than just external appearances. Also, County Assessor data is systematically updated over time while the most recent Citywide housing condition data dates to a 1988 survey.

    According to 1997 County Assessor's data, there were 249 housing structures in the Sherman Hill neighborhood with fifty-eight percent (58%) falling within the range of normal to excellent. County Assessor data rates a residential structure into one of the following conditions: Excellent, Very Good, Above Normal, Normal, Below Normal, Poor, and Very Poor.

    Between 1970 and 1990, there was a significant decrease in the number of dwelling units in the neighborhood falling from approximately 1600 units in 1970 to under 1200 units in 1990. This is consistent with the loss of population previously discussed. There are a number of factors that have contributed to this decrease in housing units including demolition of housing for the construction of Edmunds School in 1974, the removal of public nuisance and fire damaged structures, and the reduction in the number of units in many multi-family structures. The fact that the number of rental units has declined faster than the number of owner-occupied units shows a general trend towards owner-occupancy and rental properties that have fewer units. The decline in the number of units is an indication of the Sherman Hill Association's success in stabilizing the neighborhood by promoting owner-occupancy and quality rental units, rather than an indication of dis-investment and demolition of housing stock.

    Neighborhood residents predict the number of housing units and population numbers will continue to decrease in the 2000 Census but will stabilize in the next decade. Since 1990, six (6) multi-family buildings and nine (9) single family structures have been demolished to allow room for an expanded Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. However, only nine structures have been taken down due to fire or public nuisance actions since 1990 slowing the trend of past decades. Additional multi-family buildings have been downsized resulting in fewer units. Seven single-family structures have been moved into the local historic district since 1980 and a new single-family house is currently under construction. The Association plans to move several of the single-family houses slated for demolition with Martin Luther King construction into the neighborhood.

    The Sherman Hill neighborhood is unique in both its architectural heritage and in the mixture of densities within the neighborhood. Multi-family structures are interspersed with single family homes throughout the neighborhood. The median year of housing in the neighborhood is 1890 with 92% of the structures constructed before 1949 according to City Assessor information.

    The neighborhood, since 1970, has experienced a significant increase in both sales prices and assessed values. City Assessor's information shows the average assessed value in Sherman Hill has risen 52% since 1995 compared to a citywide increase of 19%. According to a study of Des Moines Local Historic Districts published in the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance Newsletter in Spring of 1999, property values in the Sherman Hill Historic District increased at a rate of 2.08 times the rate of the city as a whole between 1970 and 1998.

    The Sherman Hill Association and City of Des Moines have worked closely over the past two decades to preserve and improve Sherman Hill's housing and infrastructure. When the City of Des Moines established the Historic District Commission Ordinance in 1982, Sherman Hill petitioned the City Council to be the first local historic district. (See map). The design review procedure established with the ordinance requires that new construction, demolition and alterations to structures be approved by a city council appointed board.

    In 1997 and 1998 Sherman Hill property owners petitioned City Council to become a Self-supporting Municipal Improvement District under Iowa Code. The SMID allows historic districts to impose an additional tax on property to pay for physical improvements and their operating and administrative costs. The Sherman Hill SMID currently provides for the operational costs of the period streetlights.

    Implementation

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    This section is crucial to the success of the plan and the revitalization of the neighborhood. The implementation phase of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program requires an extensive commitment of time and resources.

    In order for this action to be successful, it is essential that the present collaboration between the City of Des Moines and the Sherman Hill Association continue to exist and grow. It will also require the following:

    1. Strong and active leadership from the Sherman Hill Association and residents.
    2. Continued commitment and support from the Des Moines City Council and the Polk County Board of Supervisors.
    3. Technical assistance from Neighborhood Planning staff and other City staff when appropriate.
    4. Inclusion in and availability of the City's Capital Improvement Program and Neighborhood Infrastructure Rehabilitation Program.
    5. Financial support from the Neighborhood Finance Corporation.
    6. The availability of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds.

    The Neighborhood Revitalization Program is not intended to be a permanent commitment of resources to a specific neighborhood. The goal is to solve specific problems that require some intensive work and return the neighborhood to a market-based, self-sustaining area. This neighborhood entered the Designated Neighborhood Program as a transitional-positive area based on:

    1. Housing conditions
    2. Proportion of homeowners to renters
    3. Public improvement needs
    4. Median household income as compared to the City-wide median income

    The neighborhood organization has demonstrated a strong desire to develop and implement numerous projects that will require a significant commitment of resources from the City's Capital Improvement Project Funds, Sewer Funds, and CDBG Funds. Successful implementation of these projects will be based upon the availability of these funds for the projects identified in the Action Plan. Additionally, the Sherman Hill Neighborhood will look to the Historic District Commission for guidance on projects requiring new construction and rehabilitation. It is imperative that the neighborhood advocates for the allocation of CDBG funds from the Neighborhood Revitalization Board and for the allocation of CIP funds from the City Council for projects identified in the Action Plan.

    The Neighborhood Division will conduct periodic assessments of the progress of a particular plan and will recommend that the program be ended once the work plan has been completed. Completion of a work plan does not mean that all items have been accomplished. It is possible that certain activities may be investigated and found not to be feasible or require an unreasonable demand of resources. Once a plan has been found to be complete, a report is prepared with input from the neighborhood organization. The neighborhood approves the report at a general meeting and forwards it to the Neighborhood Revitalization Board. Pending its approval, and approval from the Plan and Zoning Commission, the recommendation will be forwarded to the Des Moines City Council and the Polk County Board of Supervisors for final approval. At this point the neighborhood becomes a Charter Neighborhood and is phased out of the neighborhood revitalization program.

    Future Land Use

    With the adoption of this Action Plan, a more detailed future land use plan for the Sherman Hill Neighborhood is established and included in this document, amending the City's current Land Use 2000 policy (see Map). There are two future land use classifications in this plan that are not defined in the current approved 2000 Land Use Plan. The classifications have been derived as a part of the Year 2020 Land Use planning process. For purposes of this neighborhood plan, they are being defined as follows:

    Mixed Use and Density-

    This classification is for those neighborhoods and residential corridors that combine a variety of residential densities with limited retail and office uses. The existing character of these areas requires a land use classification that allows a mixture of housing densities, some over 17 units per acre. Limited commercial use can complement the residences and spur investment in the buildings. Mixed residential and commercial use can exist within a single building. This designation will be assigned to areas that are already developed with limited area for new development.

    Pedestrian-Oriented Commercial Corridor -

    This classification is for those commercial corridors that have developed in a linear pattern, with small to moderate scale uses. The commercial corridor developed along an original streetcar line and retains buildings from the early 1900s to the present. The corridor retains buildings with small footprints, minimal setbacks from the street, and small parking areas that allow for compact development with a strong street presence. These characteristics make the corridor comfortable for the pedestrian. The corridor is connected to a mix of single and multiple family housing by streets and sidewalks. It provides services and goods to the neighborhood residents as well as a larger sector of the community that uses the corridor.

    Establishing the future land use is important in the implementation of the Action Plan in that a guideline is provided for future development and redevelopment. It should be considered as a guideline and not a strict determinant so that it can be flexible enough to allow for changing environments in acceptable development practices and other land use needs which cannot be foreseen in the current environment. The goals of this Action Plan will provide specific implementation strategies for rezoning based on the future land use that has been established.

    The following five (5) policies are included in the future land use plan for the Sherman Hill Neighborhood:

    1. After the completion of improvements to Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Interstate-235, redevelopment efforts in the Cottage Grove Business District should reflect and retain the massing and scale of the existing structures.
    2. The Sherman Hill Association recognizes that commercial development south of the Sherman Hill Historic District has multiple purposes. Commercial uses serve the adjacent neighborhoods, provide goods and services to the larger Des Moines community, and provide support uses for downtown businesses. During the planning process, that area south of the historic district, where land uses transition from residential to commercial, was identified as a part of the neighborhood. The area is bounded by Woodland Avenue on the north, Ingersoll Avenue on the south, 15th Street on the east and M.L. King Jr. Parkway on the west.
    Proposed commercial and residential development in this transition area should have a positive influence on the Sherman Hill Historic District, as well as on the existing commercial areas. The neighborhood supports a mixture of residential and commercial uses within this transition area.

    The most appropriate future land use classification for the properties that are currently zoned commercial within the area is a "limited" form of Support Commercial.

    Support Commercial is defined in the existing 2000 Land Use Plan as "general businesses, retail and services establishments, limited high density residential, mixed use developments, and work centers that support the downtown core providing their own off-street parking."

    Support Commercial in a "limited form" is defined for the Sherman Hill Neighborhood Action Plan as all uses included within the "C-0" Commercial-Residential, "C-1" Neighborhood Retail, and "C-2" General Retail and Highway Oriented Commercial Districts as of June 1, 1999 with the exception of the following uses: