Bryn Mawr Apartments

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Bryn Mawr Apartments
Bryan Mawr Apartments.jpg
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Location511 29th St.
Des Moines, Iowa
Coordinates 41°35′06.6″N93°39′22.6″W / 41.585167°N 93.656278°W / 41.585167; -93.656278 Coordinates: 41°35′06.6″N93°39′22.6″W / 41.585167°N 93.656278°W / 41.585167; -93.656278
Arealess than one acre
Built1918
Architect Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson
Architectural style Classical Revival
NRHP reference No. 100001699 [1]
Added to NRHPOctober 10, 2017

Bryn Mawr Apartments is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Built in 1918, it is significant as an example of the "kitchenette" type apartment building from the early years of the city's apartment boom. Designed by the prominent Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson, "it is representative of the effort to increase profit on residential construction by eliminating the number of rooms in each unit." [2]

The three-story brick structure contains 26 efficiency units. Each floor has eight units with two units in the basement, although one of the basement units is not historic. [2] All of the units feature a combined sleeping/living space, dining room, kitchenette, bathroom, and closets. Historically, a Murphy bed was included in each unit. [2] Each unit opens to the central corridor. In addition to the two units, the basement also includes storage, laundry, and maintenance areas. The exterior features a variety of window openings and a cast concrete and brick cornice. The main entrance is in the center of the main façade features a cast stone surround with pilasters that support a lintel entablature with the building's name carved in it. The apartment building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 Alexa McDowell. "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Bryn Mawr Apartments". National Park Service . Retrieved 2022-09-28.