Supporters appeal City of Des Moines’ upcoming demolition decision of historic Masonic Home

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to include corrected information that the upcoming Aug. 21 Community Meeting being put on by the City is not a forum for taking testimony for or against preservation.

Supporters of the historic Masonic Home in Des Moines are launching an appeal after the City released its Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) concluding that restoring the century-old “Landmark on the Sound” is financially unfeasible.

The city is expected to issue a demolition permit on Aug. 8, 2025, signaling the start of a 10-day window for public appeals.

“We will appeal the decision and have already raised $8,000 toward this,” organizer Elliott Lytle said about a GoFundMe campaign titled Save the Masonic Home of Des Moines: Support Our Appeal. They have retained Bricklin & Newman, a firm known for advocating historic preservation, and aim to raise up to $50,000 to cover legal fees, expert reports, and public testimony costs.

Organizers add that “if there is a surprise on August 8th and the City denies the demolition permit, then the appeal will be called off and all monies refunded to supporters. However, everything the City has said and done up to this point indicates they will issue the demolition permit.”

The Final EIS determined that rehabilitation of the property – even with potential revenue from new multifamily housing – is not economically viable. The cost gap was estimated to exceed $160 million due to preservation being two to three times more expensive than typical construction.

The public can submit a written appeal to the Des Moines City Clerk by Aug. 18, under Des Moines Municipal Code 16.05.320. A community meeting is scheduled for Aug. 21 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at Beach Park Auditorium. EDITOR’S NOTE: The City wants to clarify that this meeting is an opportunity to inform the public and hear their questions, and is not a forum for taking testimony for or against preservation.

“The process for challenging the EIS and the permit decision under state law is the appeal process,” the city said.

Zenith Properties LLC, which purchased the site in 2019 for $11.5 million, has not revealed redevelopment plans beyond the intent to demolish the existing structures citing safety concerns and ongoing vandalism issues.