I wrote about the Olive Street Condos awhile back, I’ve linked it here and here.  One of the listing agents, Jennifer Clark, told me that my assessment of Sherman Hill was wrong, so I told her my background of the area.

Well Jennifer, you win, I was very much wrong about the area!  I will also say that I’m very happy to be wrong.

Jennifer connected me with the person that came up with the idea of the Olive Street Condos, architect Emily Donovan.  Emily lives in Sherman Hill, and was nice enough to show me around, and spend a few hours with me to show me how far Sherman Hill has come in the last 15 or so years.

Emily and her husband purchased a house that had been vacant for over 20 years, which from the sounds of it many of the folks that live in Sherman Hill have done.  The area has gone from a downtrodden scary place to be, to a wonderful little eccletic neighborhood.  The change is amazing.

 

 

 

I’ve included many pictures that we took, and I’ll share some of Emily’s thoughts on Sherman Hill as well.

Emily told me that her vision for the Olive Street Condos came from the empty lot that was just a few doors down from her home.  Her and her husband, who is an interior designer, knew that there was a better use for that land.  They connected with a few people (that I haven’t had a chance to talk with yet, but would love to), and the Olive Street Condos were born.

The vision of Sherman Hill that some of the founders, most well known is State Senator and developer Jack Hatch, has really come to life.  The vast majority of people, like Emily and her husband, bought old homes, did major renovations, and now occupy the area.  The final phase has been happening all around, in that these people are now all having children.  So Sherman Hill no longer looks like a project, it looks like a neighborhood, full of kids running around, and dogs barking at you when you walk by!

Today Sherman Hill is a wild combination of single family homes, duplexes, in fill apartments as well as some older apartments (including the first apartment to have an elevator west of the Mississippi River), and small businesses and restaurants.  I can’t think of anywhere else in Des Moines that has such a unique diversity to it.  And it’s growing, with some new condo and loft units, as well as Ingersoll Square, kind of the Gateway Lofts, and the new Gateway Market all opening soon.

So a big thank you to Emily and Jennifer, for showing me what a cool place Sherman Hill has become.  Take a few minutes sometime and drive through.  Some of the houses are just unbelievably cool!