Beginning April 7, 2016, City Hall offices were temporarily relocated while the building underwent renovation.

The construction was necessary to install modern heating, cooling, and sprinkler systems while preserving the historic character of the building.

A location was chosen on the east side of the Des Moines River between Grand Avenue and Locust Street.

Because of recent corruption in city politics, they were tasked to design a building that would define an open and honest government.

Grace Ballentyne, the state's first female lawyer, argued the case before the Iowa Supreme Court.

In July 1909 the mayor offered a compromise that allowed each member of the council to select an architectural firm to work on the project.

The firms were known as the “Associated Architects,” and included: Liebbe, Nourse and Rasmussen, Hallett & Rawson, Wetherell & Gage, and Proudfoot & Bird.

Des Moines City Hall is a three-story Beaux Arts style building.

The exterior is clad in Bedford stone, which was chosen to match the Old Downtown Des Moines Library and the post office on the west bank of the river.