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“Main Street is the reimagining of a rural Iowa town square,” Tim Portzen, vice president of Diligent Development, says of Middlebrook’s Village Core centerpiece. “It is an extension of Cumming’s historic block—we’re expanding it with mixed-use brick buildings that look like they could have been built 100 years ago.” It’s that juxtaposition of the charm of yesteryear and the modern perks and amenities designed for today that give not only Middlebrook’s Main Street, but also the entire Agrihood such strong main character energy.
The two-story brick buildings that line the pedestrian-oriented streetscape are designed as mixed-use, just like the town squares of old. Businesses occupy the street-level bays, and private living spaces inhabit the upper level. “Between the two buildings we have 26 one-, two-, and three-bedroom lofts,” Portzen explains, with amenities such as in-unit laundry, 12-foot ceilings, and large windows framing views of Main Street or the Great Western bike trail. “These pet-friendly apartments are available to lease now,” he says. “The buildings also have 11,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and a 17,000-square-foot office space where Peoples Company will have its headquarters. It’s all sandwiched between the town garden, Great Western bike trail and event lawn. And our Great Western Cottages are just across the bike trail.”
While Main Street is sure to be a popular destination for Middlebrook residents and visitors alike for distinctive shopping and dining escapades, the retail bays also offer unique opportunities for shop owners. “We have 1,000-square-foot microsuites,” Portzen says of 35×28-foot bays in the west building. “These are smaller than a typical strip-mall bay and really meant to lower the barrier to entry for small businesses.” The spaces come as a “warm shell,” equipped with a concrete floor, ceiling, outlets, ductwork and lighting. And because these smaller bays share a common restroom, “you don’t have to spend money to build out a bathroom in the space,” he explains. “This is a really approachable way to bring a small business like a food truck or clothing boutique to brick-and-mortar without a huge commitment.”
“While being on G14 and right off I-35’s Cumming exit, we naturally get a fair amount of traffic. But Middlebrook is also styling itself as a destination with Main Street, Wilson’s Orchard and activities such as Fridays at the Farm.” — Tim Portzen, vice president of Diligent Development
Main Street’s east building has “traditional 1,800 square-feet bays, each with its own entrance and bathroom—similar to what you see in a regular strip mall or mixed-use building in downtown Des Moines,” Portzen says. Here he envisions tenants who offer services and hospitality, such as a restaurant, coffee or ice cream shop, salon, pharmacy or similar.
The Agrihood’s Village Core—like all of Middlebrook—has been designed with sustainability in mind, he says. “The development is pedestrian-focused, and there’s easy access to the bike trail, but we also have ample on-street parking. All of the brick is sourced in Iowa, and geothermal heating and cooling keep the buildings comfortable, while solar panels provide green energy.”
Modern sustainability wrapped in a nostalgic package makes Middlebrook a star in the making. Maybe Hollywood will come calling for their next rom-com movie setting. But until then, Portzen is happy to provide a place Iowans can live in and love.“New Urbanism’s live-work-play and walkability may seem like a new thing to today’s consumer, but really it just pays homage to what small towns did in the 19th century,” he says. “Middlebrook honors Iowa’s agricultural and rural roots in that way.”
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