The city’s Historic Preservation Commission, working with the Sacred Heart Planning Committee, is trying to get the structure added to the National Register of Historic Places. The two groups are also getting ready to do some needed repairs to the church’s roof.

About $50,000 has been raised so far to finance the work.

Carissa Harvey, the city’s strategic planner, and Jenn Becker, a member of the Historic Preservation Commission, briefed the City Council on the effort Monday.

Sacred Heart Church is on 13th Street between Second and Third avenues south. It was built in 1921. Architect William Steele designed it in the Romanesque style. It was closed in 2019, when the new Holy Trinity Parish building opened on Sixth Avenue North.

Getting the church onto the National Register would add some prestige and create more opportunities to get grants to pay for preserving it.

AKAY Consulting, of Des Moines, was hired to prepare an application for the National Register. The draft version of that application was submitted in January. The final version is expected to be submitted in the fall.

Another $1,000 is needed to pay for the roof work, but Becker is confident the job will get done.

“We will proceed with roof repair,” she told the council.