Plymouth Magazine-Fall26-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 27
The Plymouth Church Story
“Serving our Community” in Bold Ways
In 1965, the Rev. Dr. James Lenhart
(1960—1977) spearheaded the purchase
of property across the street from the
church for the purpose of building
Plymouth Place, a retirement home for
healthy seniors of moderate means. The
church financed the project by taking out
a $2.8 million federal Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) loan, repayable
over 50 years. The three-acre wooded
site included an elegant mansion owned
by the Dr. W.W. and Edith Pearson
family estate. Prior to construction of the
retirement facility, the Pearson home was
regularly used for Plymouth functions.
Designed by the architectural firm of
Smith, Voorhees, Jensen, the 12-story
facility initially had 132 efficiency
apartments and 66 one-bedroom units.
The structure’s circular design preserved
trees on the property and gives each pieshaped unit an outside view. Plymouth
Place opened in 1968, with underground
parking, a first-floor dining room and
office area, and communal area in the
center of each floor.
In 2014, Plymouth member David
Nelson spearheaded a $10.5 million
project to restore the mid-20th-century
charm of Plymouth Place, while
updating the facility with central
air conditioning and modernized
apartments. The renovations secured
the building’s placement in 2016 on the
National Register of Historic Places.
Plymouth Church continues to oversee
the operations of Plymouth Place and
Plymouth members comprise its Board.
Lenhart worked with the Des Moines
Area Religious Council in 1968 to
develop the Homes of Oakridge (now
called the Oakridge Neighborhood), a
low-income housing complex at 14th and
Center streets. He initiated the Tenebrae
Service on Maundy Thursday and played
a major role in planning a new wing that
extended the church to 42nd Street.
Rev. Dr. James Lenhart
David Nelson led a 2014 renovation of the facility.
Prior to the construction of Plymouth Place, Plymouth used the Pearson family
home for church functions
Plymouth Magazine 27
