Former Harlan’s Barbershop building could become local landmark

The old Harlan's Barbershop building in Des Moines' Woodland Heights neighborhood was a lifeblood of the Black community — a community that has been displaced by redlining and urban renewal projects."It was the quintessential Black barber experience," said Ted Jefferson, lifelong Des Moines resident.Jefferson says he supports efforts to designate the building as a local landmark.Jefferson said it was more than a barbershop when it opened in 1968. Then, it was a welcoming 90-minute to a two-hour family reunion."You would meet your friends. Catch up with what's going on. Catch up with the news. Catch up with what's going on in people's lives," Jefferson said.Harlan's Barbershop is where he shares a milestone with his son."He was 18 months old. He received his first haircut at Harlan's Barbershop," Jefferson said.Harlan's has sat empty since it closed in 2015 until a new owner stepped up to bring the building to life."A lot of the work we do on a daily basis is historic preservation work," said Steve Wilke-Shapiro, the new owner.Wilke-Shapiro is a driving force behind efforts to have the building designated a local landmark. He plans to transform the more than 100-year-old building into an office for his architecture firm, all while keeping and preserving the historic character of the building."We salvaged a lot of the fixtures. We will be reusing things like sinks and light fixtures. Even the wood paneling, we'll probably find a way to incorporate back into the design," Wilke-Shapiro said.He says landmark status protects the character of the building, stretches his $120,000 budget, and makes the building eligible for historic tax credits.The Des Moines Landmark Review Board has recommended Wilke-Shapiro's proposal to the city council.The decision to designate the property as a local landmark could be made this month.