OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission Hearing - September 3, 2025

Other Meetings (I) — Wednesday, September 3, 2025
BodyIndianapolis, Indiana
SessionOther Meetings (I)
DateWednesday, September 3, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:26:49

Transcript — Verbatim
0:08

I'm finally not by myself.

0:18

I'll bring you by myself in my own little island.

0:24

I think one shall accept the vessel.

0:44

All right, good evening.

0:45

I'm going to call the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission September meeting to order.

0:52

We have no approval of minutes this evening.

0:54

We'll move to old business.

0:56

We have a couple of cases there this evening.

0:59

First case is 2020 COA 594 Fountain Square address 1034 Virginia Avenue, Minda Balissus.

1:09

Maybe maybe mispronounced your name.

1:13

Looking for an approval of a one-year extension.

1:16

Shelby, do you want to give us an update on that?

1:21

Yes.

1:22

So the project is for rehabbing a historic but non-contributing garage or excuse me, gas station building in Fountain Square.

1:32

It's going to be a commercial space, and that includes some site work as well.

1:37

None of the work has taken place yet.

1:39

Um so they're just looking for an approval of that extension to hopefully get that work started here in the next year.

1:45

Okay.

1:46

Any questions from the Commission on the one year extension?

1:50

Okay, if not, I'll take a motion for the one year extension, please.

1:56

Okay, thank you.

1:57

Second answer, thank you.

1:58

Any final comments?

2:00

All those in favor, please signify by saying aye.

2:03

Aye.

2:03

Any opposed?

2:04

Thanks.

2:05

Okay, the next old business case is 2024 COA 232 Irvington.

2:11

Right of way in front of address 5460 East Washington Street, Rachel Wilson for Indigo, and they're looking for an approval of a three-year extension.

2:21

Shelby, you want to update us on that?

2:25

Um, this one's similar situation.

2:27

Um the project hasn't officially started yet or the work hasn't started yet.

2:30

Um, but this is for one of the blue line stations there in front of the George Julian School.

2:36

Um and the um projected completion date for the blue line is the fall of 2028.

2:43

So that's why they were requesting the three-year extension for that one.

2:46

Okay.

2:47

Any questions from the commission on that extension?

2:50

Now it'll take a motion for its approval.

2:53

Thanks, Michael.

2:54

Thanks, Annie.

2:55

Any final comments?

2:56

All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye.

3:00

Aye.

3:00

Any opposed?

3:01

Okay, thank you.

3:03

All right, we have no new business.

3:05

And before we move to the public hearing portion of the meeting, let me introduce the commission members and the staff and read the rules of procedure.

3:14

Uh I'm Bill Brown, President.

3:16

Uh to my left is Anson Keller, Commissioner, Anginette Savillich, Commissioner, uh, Kristen uh Wiggs, Commissioner, Michael Bibbins, Commissioner, Any Lear Commissioner, and Disa Watson Summers, Commissioner.

3:30

Our staff with us this evening is Meg Bush, our administrator, Chris Steinmetz, our legal counsel, Emily Jarson, our principal architectural reviewer, Shelby Long, our senior architectural reviewer, Grace Gedecker, our preservation planner and recorder, Morgan Marleho, our architectural reviewer, and Caroline Emminacre, our architectural reviewer.

3:51

The commission has copies of IC 36-7-11.1, the Marion County zoning ordinances, the historic preservation zoning ordinance, and all historic area plans for Marion County on file, which will be incorporated by reference into the record of each case heard by the commission this evening.

4:09

This evening's hearing will be governed by the Commission's rules of procedure, which are also incorporated in the record of this proceeding.

4:15

Anyone wanting to get notice that a decision made by this commission has been appealed, they may fill out a notification form within five days of the decision.

4:24

The forms are available and may be obtained from the commission staff.

4:28

The commission strongly recommends against submitting new written materials at the hearing.

4:33

Doing so may result in the application being continued if the commission or the staff believes the mirror material substantially alters the request or requires more review than is reasonable at a public hearing.

4:45

However, if supplemental material related to a case is being submitted this evening, please submit it to IHPC staff when you come up to testify.

5:05

The order of each case this evening will be as follows.

5:08

I'll call for the applicant to make their presentation.

5:11

I'll then also ask for comments of support of that application.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Historic Preservation█████████████████████████████████████37%
Zoning and Land Use████████████████████20%
Procedural██████████10%
Traffic Calming█████████9%
Parking Management████████8%
Building Code Enforcement████4%
Transportation Safety███3%
Public Engagement███3%
Code Enforcement███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission Hearing - September 3, 2025

Meeting of the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission (IHPC) on September 3, 2025, addressing extensions, expedited cases, and several applications. Key actions included approvals for a gate restoration and a residential addition, and continuances for a large mixed-use project and a duplex.

Consent Calendar

  • 1034 Virginia Avenue (2020-COA-594): Approved one-year extension for rehab of a historic gas station into commercial space.
  • 5460 East Washington Street (2024-COA-232): Approved three-year extension for IndyGo blue line station improvements (right-of-way).
  • Expedited Cases (5 COAs + 1 Variance): Approved as a group: 1921 N New Jersey St (garage addition for ADU), 316 S Audubon Rd (demolish and rebuild garage), 1310 E 9th St (rear addition), 5936 E Washington St (restaurant remodel and use variance), and 51 N Hawthorne Ln (demolish garage, build shed). Commissioner Anjanette Sivlich noted concern about rear door lighting on the Washington St project.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Larry Jones (1125 Brookside Avenue): Spoke in remonstrance on the 901 Carrollton Ave case. Objected to the proposed 10th Street garage access and urged the commission to require the developer to complete a promised paved parking lot on the north side of 10th Street, which remains a mud pit and safety hazard.

Discussion Items

  • 901 Carrollton Avenue (2017-COA-049 Amendment 8): Applicant presented design changes including a 4.5-foot reduction in podium height, added articulation referencing the historic bottling plant, and a traffic memo. Staff noted DPW had not yet reviewed the memo and had strong reservations about the 10th Street access. Commissioners raised concerns about garage screening (bumper walls visible through metal mesh), traffic safety, and the need for DPW approval. Continued to October 1, 2025.
  • 373 Burgess Avenue (2025-COA-252): Applicant Larry Dorfman proposed a two-story east addition and a 1.5-story detached garage on a lot bounded by three streets. Staff opposed due to conflict with district guidelines (additions should be at rear), but commissioners recognized site constraints. Approved with stipulations including final construction drawings, pre-construction meeting, and on-site stakeout.
  • 401 East Michigan Street (2025-COA-297 & 2025-VHP-007): Applicant Kurt Green proposed replacing a failing historic gate and repairing a masonry wall. The new gate is divided into thirds, inspired by the building's original wrought iron and stained glass muntins. Staff supported the design; a variance was needed to exceed the maximum gate height. Approved with 11 stipulations.
  • 2106 North Talbott Street (2025-COA-282): Work started without approval – a duplex foundation was poured under permits issued in error. Applicant Josh Smith (RG Development) presented revised plans addressing four of five staff comments. Commissioners noted design deficiencies (asymmetric windows, unclear elevations, poor detailing) and recommended further work with staff. Continued to October 1, 2025.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved:
    • Extensions for 1034 Virginia Ave and 5460 E Washington St.
    • Expedited cases (5 COAs and 1 variance) as presented.
    • 373 Burgess Ave project with staff-recommended stipulations (9 conditions).
    • 401 E Michigan St project (COA and variance) with 11 stipulations.
  • Continued to October 1, 2025:
    • 656 E Arch St (2025-COA-301) – renovation.
    • 901 Carrollton Ave (2017-COA-049 Amendment 8) – mixed-use with parking garage.
    • 2106 N Talbott St (2025-COA-282) – duplex.
  • Administrative: Staff to provide training to BNS (permitting agency) on certificate of appropriateness requirements to prevent future permit errors.

Meeting Transcript

I'm finally not by myself. I'll bring you by myself in my own little island. I think one shall accept the vessel. All right, good evening. I'm going to call the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission September meeting to order. We have no approval of minutes this evening. We'll move to old business. We have a couple of cases there this evening. First case is 2020 COA 594 Fountain Square address 1034 Virginia Avenue, Minda Balissus. Maybe maybe mispronounced your name. Looking for an approval of a one-year extension. Shelby, do you want to give us an update on that? Yes. So the project is for rehabbing a historic but non-contributing garage or excuse me, gas station building in Fountain Square. It's going to be a commercial space, and that includes some site work as well. None of the work has taken place yet. Um so they're just looking for an approval of that extension to hopefully get that work started here in the next year. Okay. Any questions from the Commission on the one year extension? Okay, if not, I'll take a motion for the one year extension, please. Okay, thank you. Second answer, thank you. Any final comments? All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thanks. Okay, the next old business case is 2024 COA 232 Irvington. Right of way in front of address 5460 East Washington Street, Rachel Wilson for Indigo, and they're looking for an approval of a three-year extension. Shelby, you want to update us on that? Um, this one's similar situation. Um the project hasn't officially started yet or the work hasn't started yet. Um, but this is for one of the blue line stations there in front of the George Julian School. Um and the um projected completion date for the blue line is the fall of 2028. So that's why they were requesting the three-year extension for that one. Okay. Any questions from the commission on that extension? Now it'll take a motion for its approval. Thanks, Michael. Thanks, Annie. Any final comments? All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay, thank you. All right, we have no new business. And before we move to the public hearing portion of the meeting, let me introduce the commission members and the staff and read the rules of procedure. Uh I'm Bill Brown, President. Uh to my left is Anson Keller, Commissioner, Anginette Savillich, Commissioner, uh, Kristen uh Wiggs, Commissioner, Michael Bibbins, Commissioner, Any Lear Commissioner, and Disa Watson Summers, Commissioner. Our staff with us this evening is Meg Bush, our administrator, Chris Steinmetz, our legal counsel, Emily Jarson, our principal architectural reviewer, Shelby Long, our senior architectural reviewer, Grace Gedecker, our preservation planner and recorder, Morgan Marleho, our architectural reviewer, and Caroline Emminacre, our architectural reviewer.

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