River Bend [†] began as one of the many commuter suburbs adjacent to Des Moines. In the 1880s, the area was first developed as a town named North Des Moines. Due to its desirable location and accessibility by way of the West Ninth Streetcar, the city annexed the neighborhood in 1890.
In 1926, the City of Des Moines adopted a zoning code that allowed for multi-family housing. Soon intensive development of apartment dwellings and conversions of single family homes to multiple unit buildings was taking place across the city. These changes altered the feel of and density of many neighborhoods, including River Bend.
The city downzoned the residential areas in River Bend as well as 6th Avenue in 2012. Residential areas were rezoned from R-3, a multi-family designation, to R1-60, which is a single-family designation. See Figure 9. Sixth Avenue was downzoned from C-2, general retail, to C-1, which is a neighborhood retail commercial district. These changes were initiated by the RBNA in an effort to increase opportunities for homeownership in the neighborhood.
Today, River Bend is still known for its diversity of unique architecture and variety of homes as a result of the rich history of the neighborhood. Architecture styles include a combination of single family Victorian homes on large lots, and craftsman, foursquare and colonial revival styles on smaller lots. Many homes in the neighborhood were designed by local architects and display a variety of architectural ornamentation.
Despite its historic status, River Bend [‡] remains a vibrant, diverse community with ongoing efforts to balance preservation with affordability and accessibility. The neighborhood’s proximity to downtown Des Moines and its scenic river views continue to make it an attractive area for residents and investors.
† City of Des Moines, Department of Community Planning, River Bend Neighborhood Plan, 2015, accessed May, 2025.
‡ www.grok.com, accessed May, 2025.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Street Names
9th Street • Allison Avenue • Arlington Avenue • Clarke Street • Franklin Avenue • Hickman Road • Oakland Avenue • University Avenue