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Photos by Josh Garrett |
| Home > City Gallery > Des Moines Gallery > Grand-Ingersoll-Drake/Des Moines West Gallery > Ingersoll Avenue Gallery | |
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Ingersoll Avenue Gallery Ingersoll Avenue is Des Moines' most diverse and eclectic corridor. The street begins at the fringe of downtown, and extends westward through urban "Midtown Des Moines," and ending in the middle of an upper class neighborhood some 40 blocks from downtown. What makes the corridor so interesting is that it truly is a mix of everything. You can see a variety of architecture, types of businesses, land uses, economic classes of people, and different nationalities represented along the entire stretch of the street. It is gritty in some portions, but can be posh in others. The Ingersoll corridor is home to mostly small businesses with a local flair, that cater to the elite and common folk alike. It is a secondary Des Moines hub of dining and nightlife, a unique shopping destination, and an urban living location all wrapped up into one. Portions of the street are very pedestrian and transit friendly, and this will be an increasing attribute that will add to the vitality of the corridor as future streetscape improvements and the possible inclusion of a trolley for Ingersoll Avenue are mulled over. Click the thumbnail on the left to see a larger image. Use your browser's Back button to return to this page. |
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View Towards Downtown- A nice shot looking eastward with the downtown skyline in view. Notice the bus lane, which is operational during rush hour periods. September 2005 |
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Skyline Angle- Another angle of the skyline from the west along Ingersoll Avenue. September 2005 |
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The Skyline-
The view of the skyline grows taller as you go further east along Ingersoll
Avenue. September 2005 |
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2615 Ingersoll Avenue- A small shopping strip indicative of much of the business and development along Ingersoll. This circa 1940's-1950 building is home to two small staples of nightlife on Ingersoll: The legendary Big Tomato Pizza (open until 3 or 4 AM) and the Yacht Club Bar. |
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Ingersoll Shopping Plaza-
A 1950's redevelopment built this medium-sized
shopping plaza on Ingersoll. Office Max and Dollar General are the
current tenants, with a new Taco John's restaurant in the out lot/parking
lot. The complex was extensively remodeled in 1997. September 2005 |
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Taco John's-
There's a whole lot of Mexican going on
at Taco John's on Ingersoll. This newer restaurant popped up on the
out lot of medium-sized shopping plaza in the 2600 block of Ingersoll
Avenue. September 2005 |
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Citgo Station-
Nothing to marvel at
in this photo, just providing a display of local businesses so that visitors
to this page can gauge a feel for what Ingersoll Avenue is all about.
Notice the densely packed neighborhood just to the north of Ingersoll
Avenue. September 2005 |
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Commercial Row-
This plain looking
shopping strip features a mix of service businesses and a popular art
gallery. You can visit Moberg Gallery's website by visiting
www.moberggallery.com September 2005 |
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Dense Tree Cover-
Another view looking westward down Ingersoll
reveals the dense tree cover found in this portion of Des Moines. September 2005 |
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28th and Ingersoll-
Another photo of the urban commercial strip at 28th Street and Ingersoll
Avenue. September 2005 |
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Blondie's Beauty Parlor-
A newcomer to the Ingersoll strip, Blondie's is
located at 28th and Ingersoll, and has installed a neon sign that blends
with the trend of several other area businesses. September 2005 |
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Great Harvest Bread Company-This
commercial block dating back to 1923 features a Spanish Colonial influence.
The building has a mix of apartments and businesses, including the Great
Harvest Bread Company and a tattoo shop. |
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Suzette Homemade Candies-
Another long-time local establishment, and one of several homemade candy
stores along Ingersoll is Suzette's. They also have locations at many
of the Des Moines area shopping malls as well. September 2005 |
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Walgreen's-
Filling a prominent corner at 35th and Ingersoll
is a Walgreen's store. It was the home of a now-closed Osco Drug Store
before they closed all Des Moines locations. Walgreen's chose this
slightly larger and new store to use as their new location on Ingersoll,
leaving room in their old location for Palmer's Deli. September 2005 |
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The Silver Fox-
If the cars parked outside are any indication,
this women's clothing store at 28th and Ingersoll is upscale and expensive. September 2005 |
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Star Bar-
The Star Bar is the newest and currently hottest
night life establishment on the Ingersoll Strip. It is a martini bar
and a Tapas restaurant rolled into one. You can usually spot some
fairly prominent and good looking locals at this bar. Future plans
include the addition of a rooftop patio. September 2005 |
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Ingersoll Ave Shops-
A small neighborhood shopping center
reminiscent of many others on Ingersoll. This 1915-era commercial
strip located at 28th Street and Ingersoll Avenue is the home of several
notable Des Moines businesses, including the Alpine Tap, Bistro Montage,
Blondiee's Salon, Tandem Brick Gallery, and Pat's Corner Cafe. |
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Tandem Brick-
The Tandem Brick is a unique gift shop and
frame gallery located at 28th and Ingersoll. You can visit their
website by clicking their link:
www.tandembrick.com
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Palmer's Deli-
One of the most popular deli's in all of Des Moines has set up one very
large shop on Ingersoll. Formerly a Walgreen's Pharmacy, the upscale
deli converted the building to one of the most well-traveled businesses on
all of Ingersoll Avenue. September 2005 |
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Westward Down Ingersoll-
As the sun sets, a view of a commercial node at 28th Street and Ingersoll
Avenue. Pat's Corner Cafe (in the foreground) is a popular "greasy
spoon" establishment that stays open late and fills up with bar patrons
looking for cheap grub. September 2005 |
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The Mansion-
This very upscale furniture store is a relative new comer to the
Ingersoll Strip. It is located on the corner of an intersection with
several other upscale businesses. September 2005 |
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A Look Down Ingersoll Avenue-
Downtown can be seen in the distance of this photo looking eastward down
Ingersoll. The photo shows a good mix of what Ingersoll is all
about--a mix of a little bit of everything. September 2005 |
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Albright Lighting-
Albright Lighting is a designer boutique emporium of everything you could
ever need to light your home. This is a photo looking northeast at the
intersection of 31st Street and Ingersoll Avenue. September 2005 |
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View Up 31st Street-
From Ingersoll, looking southward and uphill onto Grand Avenue. You
can see a mid-rise apartment at the top of the hill. September 2005 |
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Ted's Coney Island-
A long-time bastion of Des Moines locally-owned
fast food grease emporiums, Ted's Coney Island is in a building built to
resemble a ski chalet. Several neighborhood businesses are found along
Ingersoll, including the Blockbuster Video just to the left of Ted's Coney
Island. September 2005 |
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Bus Stop-
Ingersoll is a very transit friendly street, that accommodates a dedicated
bus/bike line during rush hours. Bus transit seems to be fairly well
utilized in this corner of Des Moines, especially at this intersection of
31st Street and Ingersoll Avenue, with a large grocery store and Walgreen's
Pharmacy nearby. September 2005 |
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Dahl's-
Locally referred to as "the IngerDahl's,"
this full service grocery store is the closest grocery store for the bulk of
Des Moines midtown/inner city population. Shopping here brings
together some of the wealthiest people in Des Moines living South of Grand
Avenue to a new immigrant family moving into a neighborhood department...a
very diverse shopping experience. A store remodel is planned to take
place within the next few years. September 2005 |
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MetaBank-
A small bank branch in the 3000 block
of Ingersoll is currently home to MetaBank. September 2005 |
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Tudor Apartments-
The large Tudor Apartment Complex sits on the
corner of 36th and Ingersoll Avenue. It was built in 1920 and has 37
apartment units. September 2005 |
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Bryn Mawr Apartments-
The side streets that criss-cross the
Ingersoll and Grand Avenue corridors can provide some interesting finds,
including the Bryn Mawr apartment block on a very densely populated 29th
Street. This building has 26 apartment units and was built in 1920. |
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516 28th Street-
Hard to tell with the tree cover, but under
the leaves lies a pretty ornate apartment block dating back to 1917. |
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Inglewood Apartments- This decent looking apartment block is par for what lies in the blocks to the north and south of Ingersoll Avenue. This 15 unit building located in the 2900 Block of Ingersoll was built in 1929. September 2005 |
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Reed Apartments-
A 34-unit studio apartment block that
was built in 1919. September 2005 |
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A Look Down the Strip-
A view down Ingersoll shows the multitude of businesses and land uses that
have cropped up on one of Des Moines' most eclectic streets. |
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Alexander Photo-
Another commercial strip further
westward along Ingersoll, with the primary tenant being Alexander Photo. September 2005 |
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Alta Casa Apartments-
The14-plex historic Alta Casa Apartments hide behind
the late summer foliage of large overhead trees. The Alta Casa
Apartments were built in 1924. September 2005 |
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Bruegger's Bagels-
A look at the slightly more quiet west end of Ingersoll near 38th Street and
the location of a Bruegger's Bagel shop. September 2005 |
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Buyer's Realty-
This smaller brick office at the corner of 31st Street and Ingersoll holds a
local real estate and development company. September 2005 |
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Chocolaterie Stam- Plain looking from the outside but ornately gaudy on the inside, Chocolaterie Stam makes some of the finest Dutch candy in the Midwest. Their true specialty is their making of homemade Gelato, an Italian form of thick and rich ice cream. You can visit Stam's website by clicking the link: www.chocolateriestam.com September 2005 |
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Cownie Furs-
Another collection of very upscale businesses on
Ingersoll are located in this 1930's and 1940's shopping strip. Cownie
Furs and Badower's Clothing are two old-school Des Moines shopping
establishments. September 2005 |
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Ingersoll Dinner Theater-
A long-time staple on the Ingersoll Avenue
Corridor, the Ingersoll Dinner Theater took over a once-shuttered movie
screen and had quite a successful run. The Dinner Theater did close in
2004, but there has been interest in a local theater troupe taking over the
stage. September 2005 |
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Ingersoll Dinner Theater-
Another shot of the recently shuttered
Ingersoll Dinner Theater. There are several small businesses still
located in the small commercial strip next door, including the Greenwood
Lounge and Corso Cafe. |
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Hodge Podge-
A little bit of everything can be seen in this
photo. Single family houses, offices, shops, bars, and apartment
blocks are all there. September 2005 |
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Looking Northeast Down Ingersoll-
An interesting shot showing several of the tightly clustered office and
retail uses along the western portion of Ingersoll Avenue. September 2005 |
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GT's on Ingersoll-
A bikers dream bar come true. A known establishment for the biker
crowd, and local appearances by the Des Moines band Slipknot are not
uncommon. September 2005 |
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Winona Apartments-
An old apartment block on 39th Street,
just south of Ingersoll Avenue. This building was built in 1910 and
has 12 living units. September 2005 |
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Ingersoll Towers-
Ingersoll Towers is a 55-unit, four story apartment complex that was built
in 1970. September 2005 |
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2719 Ingersoll-
A row of commercial shops at the intersection of 28th and Ingersoll, holding
a Chinese Restaurant, advertising agency and coffee shop. September 2005 |
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2719 Ingersoll-
The continuation of the commercial strip shown above. September 2005 |
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Scottish Rite Manor-
Peering up over the heavily forested sections of
"Midtown Des Moines" is the Scottish Rite Manor. It's a 14 story
senior condo and apartment complex built in 1976. The design won't win
any awards, but this is the tallest residential building in the Des Moines
metro outside of downtown. September 2005 |
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Scottish Rite Manor-
A closer view of the Scottish Rite Manor, which is the most visible of all
of the taller buildings in Ingersoll-Grand area corridor. September 2005 |
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Intersection of 28th and Ingersoll-
A look down Ingersoll at a mix of apartment buildings and businesses.
Plenty of power lines and poles clog the view currently. Plans are
underway to redo the streetscape at this intersection, which may include
burying the power lines. September 2005 |
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Random Office Building-
A one story office
building fills one of the side streets between Ingersoll Avenue and Grand
Avenue. September 2005 |
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The Heights Apartments-
Located in the 2700 Block of Ingersoll
Avenue is a 22-unit apartment building dating back to 1918. September 2005 |
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Town Financial-
A small, but well kept an recently remodeled office building on Ingersoll.
The entire corridor is filled with small financial, medical and law offices. September 2005 |
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US Bank Branch- A circa 1950's bank and office building located at 35th and Ingersoll, currently housing a US Bank location. September 2005 |
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Wellman's Pub-
It may not look like much from the front, but
situated at the left of the photo is Wellman's Irish Pub. The bar is
one of the most popular places for night life on Ingersoll, and is usually
filled with students from nearby Des Moines University or Drake University. September 2005 |
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Wells Fargo Bank-
A look westward down a quiet sidewalk on
Ingersoll. The Wells Fargo Bank branch sits on the corner of 29th and
Ingersoll, and was remodeled in 2004. Notice the canopy of street
trees that are prevalent along many streets in this neighborhood. September 2005 |
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Westchester Apartments-
A 15 unit brick apartment building that was built in 1917 in the 3800 block
of Ingersoll Avenue. September 2005 |
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Whylie Eye Care-
A modernized office building holds a locally-owned vision center/eyeglass
store. September 2005 |
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550 39th Street-
A
well landscaped and maintained office building dating back to 1973 holds a
few law offices. September 2005 |
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Olson Law Office-
A small office building built to resemble a colonial-style home in the 3100
block of Ingersoll Avenue. September 2005 |
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Windsor Terrace Apartments-
A look from one end of the courtyard to the other. The Windsor Terrace
Apartments have two giant interior courtyards in the complex. September 2005 |
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Windsor Terrace Apartments-
Resembling a
dormitory on a college campus, the main gateway into the interior courtyard
of the Windsor Terrace Apartments has some unique detailing. September 2005 |
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Windsor Terrace Apartments-
The park like setting in the interior courtyard
of the Windsor Terrace Apartments. September 2005 |
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Windsor Terrace Apartments-
From the sidewalk on Ingersoll Avenue, a look up the stairway at the front
of the Windsor Terrace Apartment Complex.
September 2005 |
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Windsor Terrace Apartments-
A look at the interior courtyard of the
expansive Windsor Terrace Apartment complex. September 2005 |
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Boesen Florist-
Des Moines' hometown favorite florist has long had a location on Ingersoll,
and have filled this late 1950's building in the 3800 block of Ingersoll. September 2005 |
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Wright Apartments-
Dating back
to 1912, the Wright Apartments is an
ornately detailed Terra-Cotta brick building on Ingersoll with 8 living
units. September 2005 |
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Greenwood Court Condos- A small infill development of row-home condominiums built in the late 1990's. September 2005 |
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Plymouth Place-
One of the more interesting residential high-rises in all of Des Moines is
the Plymouth Place Senior Apartment. While arguable unattractive, the
twelve story building built in 1967 features a retroactive architectural
style that was only built in the 1960's September 2005 |
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Plymouth Place-
Another photo of the Plymouth Place Tower. The building has 167 living
units, and is illuminated nicely every Christmas, with many of the residents
decorating their balconies. The light display can be seen from miles
away. September 2005 |
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Plymouth Congregational
Church-
This is a large non-denominational church that
sits on almost half of a city block. The original assembly hall dates
back to the 1910's, but there have been numerous additions to the building
as their membership grew. September 2005 |
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Plymouth Congregational
Church-
Another view of the Plymouth Church. One of several very notable and
stately religious institutions along the Ingersoll-Grand Corridors. September 2005 |
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Plymouth Church Parking
Garage-
This large congregation has run out of
room for parking, so they built a new parking ramp to serve their needs. September 2005 |
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520 31st Street- A brick 4-plex nestled in between commercial buildings on 31st and Ingersoll. September 2005 |
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Brick Apartment Homes-
A series of brick and Tudor-styled apartments near the intersection of 29th
and High Streets, just north of the Ingersoll corridor. September 2005 |
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Neighborhood Residential Vernacular- The look and landscape of many residential streets just north of Ingersoll Avenue. September 2005 |
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Brick Sidewalks-
Brick sidewalks and dense tree cover can be
expected in the old urban hoods just north of the eastern portion of
Ingersoll Avenue.
September 2005 |
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Typical North of Ingersoll Vernacular- This stretch of bungalow and Craftsman style homes are very common in the near midtown neighborhoods just north of Ingersoll Avenue. September 2005 |
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Tudor-Style Duplexes-
Interesting duplexes like these are scattered throughout the neighborhood
just north of Ingersoll Avenue. September 2005 |
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535 40th Street-
An old firehouse has been converted into a medical office and an apartment.
This is one of three known old-styled firehouses in Des Moines that has been
retained and converted to another use. September 2005 |
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Prairie Style Home-
A smattering of Prairie-styled homes can be randomly found in the
residential neighborhoods adjacent to the Ingersoll and Grand Corridors. September 2005 |