GAB Report event briefing

Tour of Junction and Goldfinch Lofts in Des Moines, IA

  • DateOct 22, 2026 · 2:00 pm GMT-0500
  • FormatIn Person
  • LocationWest Des Moines, IA

About the event

WoodWorks hosts an educational site tour examining two pioneering multi-family mass timber developments in the Des Moines region. Participants will visit Junction Lofts, Iowa’s first residential mass timber building, and Goldfinch Lofts, a mass timber and light-frame hybrid. Led by structural engineer Jason Bahr and the project developer, the walkthrough demonstrates construction techniques, installation efficiencies, connection detailing, and trade coordination. Attendees will gain direct insight into how the design and development teams navigated code compliance, material selection, and high-performance certification standards across both an under-construction and completed residential structure.

What you’ll learn

  • Discuss typical construction practices for mass timber projects, including safety best practices, installation efficiency, and coordination with follow-on trades.
  • Highlight a variety of structural and architectural uses of mass timber and light-frame wood in hybrid design through an in-person tour of both an under-construction and completed project, highlighting the biophilic benefits of exposed mass timber and sustainable benefits of wood framing for occupants and visitors.
  • Demonstrate connection detailing techniques used in code-compliant mass timber buildings to ensure appropriate structural capacity, fire resistance, and consideration of the project construction type.
  • Explain the diverse methods of project development and approaches used by the design team, including owners, contractors, architects, and engineers, to achieve a successful mass timber project.

Attendance notes

Transportation will be provided by bus between projects. Public parking is available throughout Historic Valley Junction, including street parking and public lots accessible from 4th and 6th Streets. A networking happy hour follows at St Kilda Collective.


Keep exploring

More events worth your time

Oct 20

In Person · New York

Greenbuild

Presented in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo convenes building professionals under the theme Invest for Impact. The gathering addresses critical challenges across new construction, existing building retrofits, and affordable housing. Attendees gain exposure to…

Oct 20

In Person · Aveiro

14ª Conferência Passivhaus Portugal

The 14th Passivhaus Portugal Conference convenes in Aveiro to address critical strategies for expanding high-performance building standards across the Portuguese market. Centered on the core challenge of delivering Passive House standards at scale without inflating construction budgets, the gathering brings together practitioners…

Oct 20

In Person · Chicago

WoodWorks Connect | Chicago

WoodWorks Connect Chicago brings design and construction professionals together with leading wood product manufacturers and suppliers. Taking place at Fulton Social Club and Roof Deck, this gathering allows practitioners to discover current wood products, services, and structural solutions for upcoming projects while…