A pile of rubble is all that remains of the Highland Park Apartment Building, which was torn down over the weekend.

The demolition opens a high-profile north Des Moines corner for redevelopment.

DeCarlo Demolition Co. began razing the 108-year-old, three-story brick building on Saturday. Local historical preservationists had explored the feasibility of renovating the building at 3524 Sixth Ave. but concluded doing so was too expensive. Some preservationists remained opposed to the demolition.

Earlier this year, property owner Invest DSM received permission to demolish the building. The nonprofit group is seeking a developer to build a mixed-use project on the site. The project, called the Commons at Highland Park, would include up to 40 apartments and street-level commercial.

“We are looking for a development project that the Oak Park and Highland Park neighborhoods can be proud of for the next 100 years,” Amber Lynch, Invest DSM’s executive director, said in a prepared statement. “We know people want to be in this area, and this site provides an opportunity for a new anchor development to support all of the other investment happening in the business district.”

Invest DSM, a joint effort between the city of Des Moines and Polk County to expand revitalization efforts in the city’s neighborhoods, has worked with neighborhood leaders, city staff and Slingshot Architecture in developing conceptual plans for the proposed project.

Goals for the project include providing apartment units for a mix of income levels, according to a news release. In addition, design elements of the proposed four-story building should complement other buildings in the area with the use of appropriate materials and detailing.

The project would likely include an enhanced pedestrian environment with street trees and plantings; retail spaces that could accommodate restaurant uses or smaller, startup retailers; building practices that promote long-term energy efficiency; and intentional connections to the adjacent bus routes, the release said.

“We used the concept planning process to get input from the neighborhood so we could understand what is most important to them,” Lynch said in the release. “We wanted neighbors to be able to visualize what a project could look like. At the same time, we want to leave the door open for development teams to be creative.”

Lynch has previously said that construction of the proposed project would likely begin in late 2024 or early 2025.

Developers interested in learning more about the project are invited to attend an information meeting from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Oct. 5 at Invest DSM’s offices, 525 S.W. Fifth St., Suite F, in Des Moines.