Market One was, previously a manufacturing and office space for the Advance Rumely Thresher Company, was acquired by Blackbird Investments. The original building was located in an industrial area of downtown Des Moines that the city and company hoped to assist in revitalizing with the renovation of Market One. The commercial building was completed in 2015 and acheived LEED Platinum in 2017.
Designers and builders working on the Market One project needed to take into consideration the historic site they were rehabilitating. Keeping the historic character of the building, including original brick and windows, was important but also created a significant energy efficiency challenge. Ultimately, a combination of design techniques and new energy efficient technology was able to significantly reduce the energy needed for building operation with having to sacrifice the historic building's character or the occupants' comfort.
Being the first reinvestment in the Des Moines Market District, Market One helped set the stage for responsible and sustainable development in the area. Subsequent investment projects within the Market District have been proposed, all following the lead of Market One.