Choosing downtown
The best apartments in downtown Des Moines
What the communities people stay in get right, and how Harbach Lofts measures up on each.
What the best downtown communities have in common
Downtown Des Moines has new towers with rooftop decks and historic buildings turned into lofts. The communities people stay in, and recommend, tend to get the same seven things right. Here is each one, and how Harbach Lofts answers it.
A building with a real story
New construction can copy the look of a loft. It cannot copy the history. Harbach Lofts is two brick buildings the Harbach family furniture company built in 1906, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015 and rebuilt into homes in 2016. The exposed brick, heavy timber and tall steel-frame windows are the originals. The building's history.
A location you can live on foot
The Court District is where downtown's daily life happens. From the front door: the downtown Hy-Vee is 0.3 miles, DART Central Station 0.3, the Court Avenue restaurants 0.4, Principal Park 0.4, and the Saturday Farmers' Market 0.4. Wells Fargo, Principal and Nationwide are all within 0.8 miles.
Homes with character and the conveniences
Every home has its own washer and dryer and an updated kitchen with stainless appliances. Layouts run from studios to two-bedroom, two-bath lofts up to 1,103 sq ft, with original brick and oversized windows in many homes. Floor plans.
Shared spaces people actually use
A steel-and-glass courtyard joins the two buildings. There is a library and reading room with floor-to-ceiling shelves, a resident lounge, a 24-hour fitness center, and The Rook Room, a game lounge and café connected to the building. Amenities.
Pets treated as family
No breed restrictions, up to two pets per home, and a pet wash station on site. Breed limits are common downtown, so this one narrows the list fast for dog owners. Pets at Harbach.
Management that answers
Harbach Lofts is managed by Newbury Living. You can book an in-person tour online any time, call or text (515) 644-5461, and pay rent and request maintenance through the resident portal. The qualifications are published up front, so you know where you stand before you apply. How to apply.
Reviews you can read in full
Recent reviews say more than any brochure. We link to Harbach's live Google rating rather than reprinting picked quotes. Read the reviews.
Harbach Lofts at a glance
| Building | Two 1906 brick furniture factory buildings, National Register of Historic Places, rebuilt into lofts in 2016 |
|---|---|
| Address | 300 SW 5th St, Des Moines, IA 50309, in the Court District |
| Homes | Studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms, 427 to 1,103 sq ft |
| In every home | Washer and dryer, updated kitchen with stainless appliances |
| Shared spaces | Courtyard, library and reading room, lounge, 24-hour fitness, bike storage with repair stand, pet wash, The Rook Room café |
| Pets | Up to two, no breed restrictions |
| On foot | Hy-Vee 0.3 mi, DART Central 0.3 mi, Court Avenue 0.4 mi, Principal Park 0.4 mi |
| Managed by | Newbury Living, leasing (515) 644-5461 |
Walking distances by the walking route from our door, measured October 2026.
Questions people ask
What are the best apartment communities in downtown Des Moines?
The best downtown communities combine a building with real character, a location you can live on foot, in-unit laundry, shared spaces people use, an open pet policy and responsive management. Harbach Lofts has all of it: a 1906 furniture factory on the National Register, rebuilt into lofts in the Court District, a short walk from Court Avenue, with a washer and dryer in every home and no breed restrictions.
What should I look for in a downtown Des Moines apartment?
Seven things: the building itself, what you can reach on foot, laundry and kitchen in the home, shared spaces you will use, the pet policy, how management handles tours and maintenance, and recent reviews. This page walks through each.
Is Harbach Lofts a luxury apartment?
Harbach Lofts is a historic loft building: the original brick, heavy timber and steel-frame windows of a 1906 factory, with updated kitchens, a washer and dryer in every home, a courtyard, a library and reading room, and 24-hour fitness. A new tower can copy the look; it cannot copy the building.
Where is Harbach Lofts?
300 SW 5th St in the Court District of downtown Des Moines, 0.4 miles on foot from the Court Avenue restaurants.