Wallace Building, known for reflective windows showing Capitol, to be demolished
One of Iowa’s most recognizable buildings is coming down. The Wallace Building, known for its golden-glass exterior and mirrored views of the Capitol dome, has stood in Des Moines since the late 1970s. But after years of health and safety concerns, the state says the building’s time is officially up.
One of Iowa’s most recognizable buildings is coming down. The Wallace Building, known for its golden-glass exterior and mirrored views of the Capitol dome, has stood in Des Moines since the late 1970s. But after years of health and safety concerns, the state says the building’s time is officially up.
One of Iowa’s most recognizable buildings is coming down. The Wallace Building, known for its golden-glass exterior and mirrored views of the Capitol dome, has stood in Des Moines since the late 1970s. But after years of health and safety concerns, the state says the building’s time is officially up.
One of Iowa’s most recognizable buildings is coming down. The Wallace Building, known for its golden-glass exterior and mirrored views of the Capitol dome, has stood in Des Moines since the late 1970s. But after years of health and safety concerns, the state says the building’s time is officially up.
Though its exterior has become an iconic photo backdrop, the inside of the Wallace Building has long been plagued with problems. vlog records dating back to the 1980s show concerns about the building’s condition.
Over the years, complaints about the building continued to grow, including ventilation issues that made workers sick, mold, a leaking roof, pest infestations, and even lead contamination identified in 2014.
The history of hazards prompted questions about whether to renovate, sell, or demolish the Wallace building. However, any sale or transfer of the land requires legislative approval, and no bill granting that approval has passed.
Instead of renovating the structure, the state has chosen demolition, citing the high cost of repairs.
Mason Mauro, a spokesperson for Gov. Kim Reynolds, said, “The estimated renovation for the existing Wallace Building would've burdened Iowa taxpayers with upwards of $85 million in needless costs, taken four to five years to complete, and required asbestos remediation," Mason Mauro, a spokesperson for Governor Kim Reynolds.
“Gov. Reynolds made the cost-conscious decision to instead replace the outdated Wallace Building with a new state office building at 6200 Park Avenue using $18 million in one-time federal funds — a fraction of the cost," Mauro added.
Mauro did not clarify the timeline for demolition or what the state will do with the land once the building is torn down.
The Department of Agriculture will be the last agency to move out of the Wallace Building. On July 1, its staff is scheduled to relocate to the Hoover Building.
