Plymouth Magazine-Fall26-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 29
“well seniors,” aged 62 and older who did
not require nursing care and could prepare
their own meals in individual kitchens.
State Historic Preservation office in
2012 when it named Plymouth Place an
“exceptionally significant building.”
Architect Raymond Hueholt of the
firm Smith, Voorhees and Jensen, who
would later design the Greater Des
Moines Botanical Gardens, came up
with cylindrical design with pie-shaped
residences. Inspiration came in part from
similarly shaped structures in Chicago.
Affordability was Lenhart’s chief
goal, and it continues to be a factor at
Plymouth Place today. There were and
are income restrictions for residents, but
no buy-in or down-payments required.
To finance the project, $2.8 million in
government funding was obtained with
help from U.S. Rep. Neal Smith. A 50year mortgage from the U.S. Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) listed
Plymouth Church as the guarantor,
which was also unusual.
“Everything about the building was groundbreaking, including the $2.8 million in
government funding, its purpose, size,
design and construction methods were
all unheard of at the time,” said the Iowa
Demolition of Pearson home on June 18, 1966.
When Plymouth Place opened in 1968,
initial rental rates ranged from $78 a
month for an efficiency unit to $120 for
a one-bedroom with a balcony. Adjusted
for inflation those figures today amount
to $749 for the efficiency and $1,151 for
the one-bedroom.
Today’s rates, however, are significantly
lower than the inflation-adjusted
estimates. Rents generally range from
$510 to $890, depending on income
qualifications. Rents typically cover
utilities and basic cable connections.
Construction of the 1st floor is complete.
Crews level the ground where Plymouth Place will stand on July 13, 1966.
Over the years, the Plymouth Church
members who comprise Plymouth Place’s
independent board of directors, have kept
the property up to date and affordable.
In 2014, a $10.5 million project restored
Plymouth Place’s mid-20th-century
charm by adding central air conditioning
and updating the apartments. The
renovations secured the facility’s
placement in 2016 on the National
Register of Historic Places. The project,
which involved complex financing and
adherence to strict historic preservation
guidelines, was spearheaded by David
Nelson, long-time Plymouth Church
member and then chair of the Plymouth
Place Board.
And despite a devastating derecho in
2023, most of Mary King’s trees continue
to provide a lush frame for the landmark
tower that rose up among the site’s
verdant backdrop 60 years ago.
The first resident R.L. Rockholz (left) of Plymouth
Place moving in to her unit on the 11th floor with
her neice (right) assisting, March 1, 1968
Construction of the 12th floor is complete.
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