Working for revitalization

There is nothing striking about the old Stevens Building. The two-story, brick facade and boarded up windows don’t command immediate attention as people pass through downtown Portland – at least not for now.

The century old building was once home to McClurg’s Hardware, owned and operated by Max McClurg for more than 40 years. McClurg’s was a gathering space for those looking to find solutions to problems, fostering DIY creativity and community.

A local couple are now drawing on that history by taking the vacant space and transforming it into a new entertainment and dining spot.

“We are going to be bringing business back to the core on the same streets where it all began,” said Ryan Johnson. “We want to bring pride back into Portland.”

Ryan and his wife, Kelly, are in the final planning stages of opening a restaurant and brewery in the building, located at 105 W. Main St. The local couple plan to run HoosierBoy Smokehouse and Brew.

The Johnsons are working with Brent Mather of R & B Architects, Indianapolis, on plans for the building, with blueprints and codes sent to the state in late October for approval.

According to Mather, construction is expected to start this month and be completed by May for the grand opening.

The couple have big plans for the new space. They hope to keep the rustic look throughout the building, with both the brick walls and ceiling beams exposed, and a vintage advertisement exposed in the dining area as part of the decor.

Balancing historic and modern is not as easy as they anticipated before taking on the Stevens Building, which was first built in 1910, according to the National Register of Historic Places.

“There have been sections of the floor that we want to take out but it would change the original floor plan. On the other hand, we also want to also meet modern day code so we have to add a staircase,” Kelly said. “You have to meet both standards. You have to come up on it, drink beer and get on the go.”

The Johnsons’ restaurant is just one of many historic preservation projects community members are taking on across Jay County.

The former Redkey Fire Station is one of the buildings that is the focus of Redkey’s downtown revitalization plan, which was approved by the town council in April. In addition to the former fire station potentially being turned into a microbrewery, the plan also outlines the possibility of adding a streetscape and repurposing the former railroad bed into a pedestrian walking trail.

Last year, contractors removed rotted floorboards and an architect finished blueprints and plans for state building permits to restore the Todd Opera House building in Dunkirk. Constructed in the 1890s, the building was the location of Vaudeville theater productions.

Ronald Morris, history professor at Ball State University, said adaptive reuse of historic properties is the “ultimate green thing to do for our community.” By preserving these structures, buildings are kept out of landfills.

“Once the building's gone, that's been removed from the landscape. We can't put it back. We can make things that look sort of like it, but once it's gone, it's gone. Historic fiber is missing from our community,” Morris said. “Those personal memories that we have, like going on a first date, stay with us. But, that tangible link to those memories are gone. Things sort of come and go, but at the buildings have a possibility of remaining and being a constant in our lives.”

Historic preservation can foster local businesses, which lends to economic growth, said Marsh Davis, president of Indiana Landmarks.

“Historic preservation and revitalization of our neighborhoods and towns has been proven time and time again as a tool for economic growth, economic revitalization. To some people, that's the most important thing,” Davis said. “There are others who value the aesthetics of historic architecture. We see value in the materials and in designs that have been shaped over time.”

While preservation can enhance real estate values, it can also pose a challenge to some communities.

Davis said if the real estate market is poor or if a building is in a community where property values are low, restoring and preserving may be too expensive and “not worth it.”

But that’s why there are subsidies.

“Congress created the historic rehabilitation tax credit to incentivize and fill the gaps in funding and projects which would not otherwise be affordable,” Davis said. “That's why there are developers who often use these as the housing tax credits in combination with the historic credits, new market tax.”

The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program has leveraged more than $84 billion in private investment to preserve more than 40,000 historic properties nationally since 1976, according to the National Park Service. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, a 20-percent income tax credit is available for the rehabilitation of historic, income-producing buildings that are determined by the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, to be “certified historic structures.”

Davis referenced Indianapolis’ Old Northside Historic District, which was “a neighborhood that was in shambles 30 years ago,” as an example of a location that was able to get turned around thanks to preservation efforts.

According to a survey by PlaceEconomics, a private-sector firm based in Washington, D.C., the 4 percent of Indianapolis that makes up local historic districts contains 16 percent of the jobs.

The survey also found that the local historic districts saw 9-percent population growth compared to the 2-percent growth in non-designated areas between 2010 and 2015.

That type of success is what Ami Huffman, Jay County Community Development director and Portland Historic Preservation Commission adviser, hopes to see reflected in Portland.

“When you travel to places and communities that you think, ‘Oh wow, this place has it together. I wouldn’t mind locating or stopping to shop.’ That’s what we want for downtown Portland and our county,” Huffman said. “Over time as people redo their facades or different businesses relocate or locate, we will get further and further to becoming one of those little towns that people say, ‘Wow, this is fantastic.’”

To reach that goal, Portland will continue to work toward drafting a downtown revitalization plan, which was made possible by a $30,000 grant awarded by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs to the city in March. The plan outlines grant opportunities and the possibility of funding for streetscaping and facade repairs of some of the buildings that make up the Portland Commercial Historic District.

The grant requires a first draft of the plan by Jan. 31, with a final version completed by March 31.

Community Development has looked to different cities like Wabash, Franklin and neighboring Fort Recovery for inspiration.

“Fort Recovery has a very small downtown, but it is looking very well done,” said Huffman. “They're adding murals to their community to reflect their history. The storefronts are being filled, you know, they're not totally done yet, but boy, they've come a long way.”

Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman said the city is working to create a plan that “connects the past with the future,” similar to the preservation efforts being done to the Stevens Building.

“Opening that brewery will bring (the) community back to life,” Geesaman said. “Retail really does a lot for your community as far as revenue and job creation and occupying buildings that may be sitting empty.”

That message is also echoed by the Johnsons.

“It is so cool that people see it as what it used to be and what it could be,” Kelly said. “It is local and something that Portland can call their own. It is not a sports bar, it is geared toward everyone. We will be a destination spot. We want to draw a crowd from other counties. We go to Indy to spend money in other cities, we want people to come to our city and do the same.”

While the Jay County couple waits to continue with construction, they will focus on developing the menu, which will include standard steakhouse fare with steak, a variety of smoked meats as well as special appetizers like blue crab spinach dip.

HoosierBoy Smokehouse and Brew will also feature beer from a brewer out of Columbus, Ohio.

“We have done a damn good job at creating a buzz around the community and we are so close to opening it up,” Ryan said.