Between the rhythm of 4th Street, the Iowa Commission Building stands as a nine-story state government office building. Completed in 1913 for use by the YMCA, the steel-framed brick structure was designed in the Neoclassical style by the architectural firm of Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson.
In 1959, the state acquired the building from the YMCA for the Iowa Commission for the Blind. It was here that the commission, under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, transformed rehabilitation services for the blind in the state into what became known as the Iowa Model.
The Iowa Model is based on the belief that with the proper training and opportunity, the blind can live productive and successful lives. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
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