DaVo's Vlog 25 - Disappearing Dogtown

Drake University has sold off the block between 24th Street to the East, 25th Street to the West, University Ave. to the South and Carpenter Ave to the North. The whole block is scheduled to be demolished except the Varsity Theater building to make way for a Multi Million Dollars mixed uses building project.

The area is one of the last examples of the small neighborhood business districts from the early to mid 20th century that is leftin Des Moines. Running from 23rd and University to 25th and Unviersity it was an area that served both as a shopping district but also an entertainment distract for Drake Students and those that live in the area. The buildings that line 25th Street and University Ave were built between 1890 and 1916 and once housed and until recently housed a number of retail and entertainment businesses. Though the buildings have been remodeled and modernized throughout the last 100 years, the caracter of the buildings still survive and are hidden behind years of pant, neglect and modern facade. Even through many of the buildings to the East have been restored and new buildings designed to fit into the character of the area, the proposed glass and steel structures will be out of place in the 130 year old.

Dogtown was like many of the business districts next to Universities and Colleges once that Underground and Alternative shopping area of the city. Filled with book stores, clothing stores and records this was once a one stop for all things subversive and different.

This is a video of  footage and photo taken in July of 2019 as my way to try to preserve and document the area before it is completely destroyed and replaced with a shinny new glass and steel structure. 

Check out my other channel Body Piercing & Tattooing - https://www.youtube.com/c/BodyPiercingTattooing

All footage and Photos were filmed using:

Cameras:

• Canon EOS M50 Camera get your own at Amazon - https://amzn.to/2Gv0vQe 
• Canon EOS 80D - https://amzn.to/2RD2jcS

Lens:

• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM - https://amzn.to/2XpHi6W 
• Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens https://amzn.to/2wewJrN
• Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens - https://amzn.to/2jMCkDe

Other Equipment:

• Zhiyun WEEBILL LAB - https://amzn.to/2YBzQ96
• VILTROX EF-EOS M2 Lens Adapter 0.71x Speed Booster for Canon EF Lens to EOS EF-M Mirrorless Camera M3 M5 M6 M10 M50 M100 AF Auto Focus Reducer - https://amzn.to/2DpchbP 
• Canon EOS M Addapture - https://amzn.to/2yFmYEg