|
City turns historic house over to PPH |
|
|
|
Saturday, November 17 2007 |
By TJ HEMLINGER
Staff writer
People Preserving History, a local historical preservation group, now owns the Hooper House, also known as the Linvill property, at 209 N. Chauncey St., and is preparing to begin to make repairs on the brick house.
The organization presented its plan before the Columbia City Board of Works Friday morning. Vice President Joann Williams said PPH had received a $75,000 grant from the state government’s revolving loan fund to begin the project, which will be completed by whoever buys the property.
There will be a covenant placed on the house by People Preserving History, which will limit the type of any remodeling and repairs and prohibit the house from being torn down.
The house has been in disrepair since at least the 1980s. The exterior is showing cracks and disrepair, and the basement needs a lot of work, according to Williams.
“Whoever buys the house will have to show he has the finances and the ability to repair it,” she told the board. The new owner also must have experience rehabilitating historic buildings and agree to abide by the covenant.
PPH will begin taking bids for work on the house in about two weeks.
“We have a commitment to make sure it is well-cared-for,” councilwoman Grace Lotter said.
Councilman Walt Crowder added, “It’s the start of a new venture.”
There will be a reception at the house from 5-7 p.m. Dec. 15 with Mr. and Mrs. Hooper attending.
The Board of Works, which had taken bids to demolish the building, extended the date of construction completion to May 1, 2008.
In other business Friday morning, the board discussed spending $70,000 to replace two sewage force main lift stations, one at county Road 700E and the other at county Road 600E, with the understanding that the county or the industries served would reimburse the city when the work is completed.
The project is to convey additional flow and provide capacity for growth within the eastern portion of the county’s tax increment financing district.
“From Day One we have indicated we have no money to bring this project to fruition,” Mayor Jim Fleck said. “We would be reimbursed once the project is over. Because of the (sewage) plant and the interceptor sewer project, we had no money. We were assured” the city would not pay for it, with the county or the industries served picking up the cost.
|
|
Last Updated ( Monday, November 19 2007 )
|
