One of downtown Des Moines’ oldest buildings has been sold for $1.6 million, Polk County real estate records show.

Hawkeye DSM LLC, managed by Jake Trerotola, paid #16 LLC, managed by entrepreneur Bruce Gerleman $1.6 million for property at 207 Fourth St. that includes the historic Hawkeye Insurance Building, records show.

The three-story brick building was constructed in three phases beginning in 1869, according to an application to the National Register of Historic Places. Construction was completed in 1881.

The structure includes a half-raised basement and commercial “Italianate” design features, records show. Hawkeye Insurance Co., Des Moines’ first successful casualty insurance company, occupied the building for more than four decades.

The company’s success “sparked a boom in [the] field that earned [Des Moines] the sobriquet, ‘Hartford of the West,’” the application says. “The building is probably the oldest commercial structure in downtown retaining its basic integrity.”

The building, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986,  was designed by architect William Foster, who had an office in the structure, records show. The building currently includes bars, a salon and apartments.  

Trerotola does not plan on making any major changes to the building, according to an Axios article.

The property is valued at $951,000. The transaction was recorded Feb. 7.

In other transactions:

North Ankeny Land LLC, based in Ankeny, paid William Kimberley Development Corp. $2.3 million for undeveloped land in northeast Ankeny, records show. The property is west of Interstate Highway 35 and north of Northeast 54th Street. The transaction was recorded Feb. 7.

Absolute Farms LLC, located in Slater, paid Pearl Farms LLC $3.7 million for arm ground in northern Polk County, records show. The land is north of Northwest 158th Avenue and east of Northwest 142nd Street/Y Avenue. The transaction was recorded Feb. 8.

Acadian-Ingersoll LLC, located in Des Moines, paid Hampton House LC $3.7 million for property at 4200 Grand Ave. in Des Moines, records show. The property includes three, three-story brick apartment buildings constructed in the early 1950s. The buildings include 74 apartment units. The property is valued at $3.3 million. The transaction was recorded Feb. 8.

Dallas County
Steven Rowe and Mary Louise Hlavin paid David and Laurine Briden just over $1 million for property at 28848 Hickory Ridge Drive in Van Meter, Dallas County real estate records show. The 2.25-acre parcel includes a 2,382-square-foot house built in 2008. The transaction was recorded Feb. 7.

Megdal Jamacha LLC, based in Beverly Hills, Calif., paid Michael Paul Ramsey and the Baker-Tuttle Family Trust $1.1 million for property at 7275 Vista Drive, West Des Moines, records show. The property includes a 3,750-square-foot fast-food restaurant building constructed in 1994. Burger King occupies the building. The property is valued at $1.45 million. The transaction was recorded Feb. 7.

Midwest Oilseeds Inc., located in Adel, paid Norman Stine and Audrey Stine $1 million for farm ground in rural Dallas County, records show. The land is east of L Avenue and south of 250th Street. The transaction was recorded Feb. 7.

IRHC LLC paid Brandon Estates LLC $1.6 million for undeveloped property in northwest Waukee, Dallas County real estate transactions show. The 7.5-acre parcel is located south of Northwest Sunrise Drive and west of Northwest 10th Street. The transaction was recorded Feb. 9.