Sioux City History and Culture by Bicycle Part 74: Mid-American Building

Built in the late 70s as a corporate HQ for Iowa Public Service, the building is a marvel of efficiency and energy conservation. The rooftop has large solar heating panels that heat water which in turn heats the building. Below the building there is a large ice maker and pit which are used to cool the building. The building is stair stepped inside with multiple escalators and even a helipad on the roof.

I know the ice maker is still used for the cooling and the solar heating panels for the heat but I do not know if the helipad is still on the roof or if it still used. The building has 6 floors. The first 3 are used by Mid-Amercan Energy. Floors 4 and 5 are leased to tenants and 6 is utilities, storage, etc.

Mid-American Energy has gone through more then one name change as they have grown. It used to be Iowa Public Service, they were merged and became Midwest Power/Midwest Gas. Eventually they merged again and became Mid-American Energy.

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