NEWS

Lafayette Protects Historic Sites

Local designation is the best tool for protecting properties from demolition or changes that
alter their historic character.

Peirce House, Lafayette
Lafayette's Historic Preservation Commission designated the Peirce House in the Lingle Heights neighborhood.

Local Designation

Lots of people think National Register listing protects historic properties from demolition and damaging alterations. Alas, it’s not true. National Register status is ceremonial and generally places no limitations on what owners can do with their properties. If it’s protection you’re after, the most effective tool available to a community is designation through a local historic preservation ordinance. In Lafayette, for example, the Historic Preservation Commission recently designated a new historic district and several individual sites to ensure their long-term protection.

The St. Mary’s/Mills Historic district on South Street and McGrath Avenue includes seven historic buildings in a mix of architectural styles. Six of the single sites are in the Lingle Heights neighborhood, including the large Peirce House built in 1912 by O. W. Peirce, Jr. and his wife Catherine. Indiana architect William Mann designed the house in an eclectic blend of the Prairie School and Renaissance Revival styles. The original estate occupied an entire city block, with elaborate gardens surrounding the house. In the late 1940s, the lot was subdivided and the house converted into six apartments.

Peirce House, Lafayette

Built in 1912 as a private home, the O.W. Peirce House in Lafayette was subsequently divided into multiple apartments.

Earlier this year, Indiana Landmarks awarded a Partners in Preservation grant to Glen Vick, owner of the Peirce House, to help fund its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Though National Register status does not confer protection, it does make the project eligible for federal historic rehabilitation tax credits. Vick is restoring architectural features and window and door openings removed during the 1940s apartment conversion.

Learn more about the City of Lafayette’s Historic Preservation Commission and local historic districts at http://www.lafayette.in.gov/591/Historic-Preservation-Commission.

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