ORANGE CITY, Iowa | From a balcony overlooking First Street, the Van Engelenhoven family can hear Dutch tunes playing around the corner every third weekend in May. The smell of festival food wafts through the open door. Turkey legs, funnel cakes, corn dogs.
It’s tulip time. Festivities unfold below.
Dave and Marilyn’s grandchildren love to visit this time of year.
Living in the heart of Orange City, just two blocks from the county courthouse, the retired couple calls a loft condo home.
“The thing that everybody likes about this building is the outside,” he said. “It’s very dramatic, a nice addition to downtown.”
The two-story structure, easily identified by its old-world Dutch architecture, rose from the ashes of a 1920s hotel. A fire in 2008 destroyed the original brick building that had been converted into retail space.
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The new Hawkeye Center opened three years ago.
At street level, it holds a coffee and ice cream shop, home décor and clothing boutique, Evie’s Hallmark and Chrysalis Bridal Salon. The second floor features five condominiums.
Dave and Marilyn moved in right away.
They were early supporters of the multimillion dollar revitalization initiative, dubbed the Phoenix Project. The scope of work included redeveloping the site of the fire, constructing the Prairie Winds Event Center and partnering with Unity Christian High School to build a performing arts center.
Three of the five condos needed to be sold in the Hawkeye Center before development could move ahead, Dave said. They stepped forward. Though, Marilyn admits, she was hesitant. She worried the space would be too small to host the whole family.
It was hard to imagine what downtown, loft-style living would be like.
But they had been thinking about down-sizing after raising three kids. Maintenance-free living proved to be an attractive option.
Adding to the appeal, they could customize the 1,800-square-foot condo.
Marilyn was able to choose appliances and finishes from the glass-tile backsplash and granite countertops to the elevated dishwasher and microwave drawer.
Lighted, glass-front kitchen cabinets showcase her collection of Dutch dishes, cups and saucers, King’s Crown glassware and brilliant blue Polish Pottery – not to be mistaken for Delftware from Holland.
Other added features include an oversized kitchen island with plenty of prep space, an expanded pantry off the kitchen and a gas fireplace accompanied by a skylight in the living room.
“That’s what we liked about it,” he said. “We could do everything we wanted in this unit.”
People have said to them, “Don’t you miss that big house?” In a word, no. Their son bought it. They can go back and visit. But it’s his house now. And they have theirs.
“This is our home,” she said. “This is it.”
Located in a secure building complete with storage units and underground parking, the upscale condominiums boast convenience.
The downtown dwellers don’t even have to leave the complex to find company. All of their neighbors are around the same age, and they’ll gladly entertain the Van Engelenhovens with coffee and dessert.
“I like having neighbors close,” she said.
The two condos with west-facing balconies have a spectacular view of Central Avenue, which will soon transform into a charming Dutch village for three days, complete with poffertjes, a klompen-carving demonstration and tulips, of course.
The bustle brings back memories for Dave and Marilyn, who have been active in the annual celebration for more than 35 years. Their daughter, Juliana, was crowned Tulip Queen in 1991. Marilyn, who grew up in Hospers, Iowa, was a member of the court in 1964.
“That was a highlight if you got to go to Orange City to the Tulip Festival,” she said.
Now that they’ve settled into Main Street loft-living, it can’t be missed.
