Historic site will house condos

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Historic site will house condos

Compromise preserves facade of former church, paves way for 69 units

 

By Madhusmita Bora

maddie.bora@indystar.com

March 3, 2006

 

A residential developer wanted to bulldoze a century-old church on Meridian Street and replace it with condominiums.

The city and historic preservation groups wanted to preserve the former house of worship as a city landmark.

They negotiated and met halfway.

On Thursday, developer Hearthview Residential said it would retain the exterior of the abandoned Meridian Street Methodist Episcopal Church, while gutting its interior and converting the building into 69 condominiums.

The new project, at 802 N. Meridian St., will be the latest in a string of high-end condominiums that have cropped up in the Downtown area in recent years. More than 1,100 new units are expected to spring up Downtown through 2010, according to Indianapolis Downtown Inc., a nonprofit that promotes the area. That's in addition to the 9,700 units that existed as of 2000.

The newest project, called Meridian Arch Condominiums, is a result of three months of negotiation that culminated with the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission designating the church building as a protected property.

The building's new status calls for the preservation of its skeletal structure, along with its spires and tall windows, and saves it from being razed.

"(It) allows us to save the most important portions of the historic building and safeguard the unique architectural features of its Meridian Street exterior," said James Thomas Jr., a partner with Hearthview.

The revised $16 million plans allow the developer to tear down the western part of the building that until 2002 housed the Indiana Business College. It also gives Hearthview the nod to build an additional structure, but shaves the number of units originally planned in the church area from 40 to 25.

City and historic preservation officials say they are happy the dispute was resolved without much controversy. For a while now, Downtown Indianapolis has seen the morphing of old buildings into trendy condominiums. Hearthview has been a leader in the trend with more than five such projects in its portfolio, including the Athletic Club Condominiums and the Lockerbie Park Brownstones. But this was the first time the company proposed demolition instead of renovation.

"Anytime you get into redeveloping a historical property, there's always a long list of uncertain construction risks," Thomas said.

Added to that was the fact that the building, although a century old, was not protected under any preservation codes.

The company filed for a wrecking permit with the city just before Thanksgiving. City officials reviewed the application and initiated an emergency historic designation process because of the building's age and stature. Hearthview officials requested a delay and in January came back with a revised plan.

"They were willing to talk to us and think this through for whatever reasons," said David Baker, administrator for the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission. "This was a unique case."

The last time the commission rescued a building was in 2004 when it saved the Askren House on the Far Eastside from the wrecking ball.

Thomas of Hearthview said its new condo plan would cost the company more money, but it was still good business.

"We thought it was clearly something we could do that was acceptable to us," he said.

Construction on the project will begin this summer with the first move-ins planned for spring 2007.

"It's now a Marion County historical landmark, and we are happy it's not staying empty anymore," said Patricia Wachtel, interim president, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana.

However, there are still some who feel that historic buildings are best left alone.

"Downtown developers should spare these kind of buildings, especially in Indianapolis where there's so much empty space," said Benjamin McAvay, a Downtown resident who was waiting outside the church to catch a bus on Thursday. "Development is good, but buildings like that should not be turned into condominiums."