Des Moines, Iowa
Everything is on this corner.
48 one and two bedroom apartments off Douglas Avenue, renovated through 2025. Every one has a sliding glass door to its own balcony or patio.
- Rent from
- $775
- Apartments
- 48
- Balcony or patio
- Every one
- Parking
- Free, on site
The Building
Two buildings, 48 apartments, one long renovation.
Crossroad is a pair of connected three-story buildings, mirrored, 24 apartments in each. They went up in 1975, and they have the floor plans to show for it: a 750 square foot one bedroom, an 825 square foot two bedroom, a walk-in closet, and a sliding glass door in the living room.
Through 2025 we took 21 of the 48 apartments down to bare walls and rebuilt them. New cabinets and counters, tile backsplash, new appliances, new flooring, new fixtures, new interior doors. Seven more got a lighter refresh. Where the layout allowed, we pulled the wall between the kitchen and the living room.
The shared parts got the same treatment. Hallways, entryways and all six laundry rooms were redone with new flooring, lighting and paint. Outside, both buildings were repainted, the roof was repaired, the parking lot was resurfaced, the dumpster enclosure was rebuilt and 16 cameras went up.
Gallery
Have a look around.
These are photographs of renovated apartments in this building, taken empty and unstaged.
The Apartments
750 square feet for a one bedroom. 825 for a two.
There are two types in the building and an even split between them, 24 of each. Both have one bathroom, a walk-in closet, a kitchen open to the living room, and a sliding glass door out to a balcony or a patio. Both prices below are for renovated apartments.
One Bed, One Bath · 24 apartments
One Bedroom
750sq ft
- Balcony or patio off the living room
- Walk-in closet
- Kitchen open to the living room
From $775
Two Bed, One Bath · 24 apartments
Two Bedroom
825sq ft
- Balcony or patio off the living room
- Walk-in closet
- Kitchen open to the living room
From $925
Ask which apartments are renovated and open right now.
In your apartment
- Sliding glass door to a private balcony or patio
- Walk-in closet
- Renovated apartments have new cabinets, counters, tile backsplash and appliances
- Wide-plank flooring in renovated apartments
- Your own water heater
- Electric baseboard heat and a through-wall air conditioner
On the property
- Six laundry rooms, one on every floor, so a basket never goes up or down stairs
- Free surface parking on site, and plenty of it
- A lawn with picnic tables
- 16 cameras covering the buildings and the lot
- Pay rent and submit maintenance requests online
What is included
Water, sewer and trash are covered in your rent. You pay electricity, and in this building electricity carries your heat, your hot water and your air conditioning, so budget for it accordingly. The pet fees below apply to pets. Assistance animals are not pets and are not charged for.
Included in rent
- Water
- Sewer
- Trash
You pay
- Electricity, through MidAmerican Energy
Pets
- Dogs, $50 a month
- Cats, $35 a month
- $250 non-refundable fee per pet
- Two pets per apartment
- No breed or weight restrictions
What it costs to move in
Every dollar it takes to get keys, listed before you apply. No surprises at the counter.
- Application fee$25
- Security depositNot a full month, which is what most places here askHalf a month’s rent
- First month’s rentfrom $775
- Administrative feeNone
- Total to get keysfrom $1,187.50
That total is $25, plus a first month at $775, plus a $387.50 deposit. A two bedroom at $925 comes to $1,412.50 on the same math, because the deposit is half of whatever your rent is. Pet fees apply only if you have a pet, and assistance animals are never charged. If the deposit is still the thing standing in your way, read the next section.
Will you qualify?
We publish what we look for, so you know where you stand before you spend anything on an application.
- Monthly income before taxesAbout $1,940 a month for a $775 one bedroom. This test does not apply if you hold a Housing Choice voucher.2.5× the rent
- Credit score625 or above
- Rental history2 years
- Housing vouchersWelcome here
Not sure whether you clear these? Call and ask before you apply. We would rather tell you honestly than take your $25.
Short on the deposit, or under 625?
Neither one is automatically a no. There are two more routes to approval here, and we will walk you through both.
Instead of a deposit
Deposit coverage
The deposit here is already half a month rather than a full one. If even that is more than you have on hand right now, a deposit coverage program lets you pay a much smaller fee instead and keep the rest in your pocket at move-in.
The fee is set from your own situation, so there is no sticker price to quote. Ask and we will get you the exact number before you commit to anything.
If credit or income falls short
Lease guaranty
A guaranty service can stand behind your lease, which often lets us approve an application that would not clear our criteria on its own. It works a lot like a co-signer, without needing to ask anyone you know.
Priced on your own circumstances rather than a flat rate. Ask before you apply and we will have it quoted for you.
We accept Housing Choice vouchers, and the income requirement above does not apply to voucher holders. Bring your voucher and we will work through the paperwork with you.
Outside your door
Every apartment has a balcony or a patio.
Not select apartments. All 48. The upper floors open onto a wood deck balcony behind a black steel rail. The ground floor opens onto a patio at grade with a privacy fence.
The back side of the building looks into a stand of mature trees. Bring a chair.
The Neighborhood
Near Douglas Avenue and Merle Hay Road.
Merle Hay Mall is the second largest shopping center in Iowa, and it sits just up the road with the big-box retail, restaurants and services that come with it. Douglas Avenue runs east and west from the corner, so errands and groceries are on the street you already live on.
There is a DART bus stop at the property, and Interstate 35/80 is a short drive north.
- DART bus stopPublic transit, at the property
- Merle Hay MallRetail, dining and services, north up Merle Hay Road
- Douglas Avenue corridorGroceries and everyday errands
- Interstate 35/80Highway access, north of the property
- Downtown Des MoinesSoutheast of the property
Leasing
Come see one.
Tours are by appointment. Applications are submitted online and reviewed in one to two business days.