Syndicate Block (McCoy Building)

501 E Locust

1883 for $26,000 – designer unknown ($650,000 in 2012 $’s)

Builders T.H. Cady & Wm Christy

Placed on the NRHP 2001 Criteria C

Renaissance Revival style

Conrad Dietz sold subdivision of 5 – 20 ft. wide lots to different owners/investors, then a sixth 20 ft. lot to owner Entwistle & O’Dea, hardware merchants who participated in the building project after the basement excavation started.

The owners cooperated in an informal “syndicate” to create the unified building front; which at the time was the largest commercial block on the east side.

It started the architectural trend in East Des Moines toward large commercial blocks where previously there had only been small Late Victorian frame structures.

The street level was used for retail, second floor for professional offices and quite quickly the third floor became small living spaces.