Martin Luther King Jr. Park Apartments for Rent

Martin Luther King, Jr. Park neighborhood features easy access to Interstate 235 and local public transportation. Affordable housing is a plus for those interested in this area, where the average price for a single-family home is less than $60,000.

Hiatt Middle School serves this neighborhood where about a third of all residents are under age 18. Revitalization has been a focus for residents who live in Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. Their efforts helped make a new swimming pool and shelter house a reality.

The MLK Park area goes from Interstate 235 to East Washington Avenue. The east-west boundaries include East 14th Street and the railroad tracks. Many retired people in this working class neighborhood have lived in the area for two to three decades.

The anchor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park community is the park itself. Renewed pride in the park came when a new building certified as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) facility opened in 2009. LEED certification means the building ranks highly — with the best in the world for energy efficiency, environmental friendliness, and construction design.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Park is the first park in the city to have a shelter building with a full-service kitchen, room for crafts and computers, and a medical exam room. It is Des Moines’ first all-season park shelter with heating and cooling. The facility is used as a Polk County Congregate Meal Site by senior citizen groups, and it is available for private rentals.

MLK Park residents enjoy several amenities at the park, including playground equipment, basketball and tennis courts, softball and baseball fields, and a wading pool with water sprayers. Funding from sources including the Bright Foundation, the Iowa Cubs, Boys and Girls Club, and Meredith Corporation Rebuilding Together assisted with costs and maintenance.