Passing the Baton

In the latest example of the serial restoration we’ve practiced in South Bend for more than 30 years, Indiana Landmarks has listed the Kizer House for sale, offering a chance for the right buyer to become part of the extraordinary property’s history.

With its tower, turret, and stone exterior resembling a castle, the Romanesque Revival house has been a familiar landmark on South Bend’s West Washington Street since 1888, when William and Elizabeth Kizer built the house next door to her parents’ home in a neighborhood popular with South Bend’s wealthiest citizens.

In the 1960s, the area’s fortunes turned, when the city demolished several of the neighborhood’s grand houses for a four-lane thoroughfare. The road claimed the home of Elizabeth’s parents, and though the Kizer House was spared, the project devastated the neighborhood.

By 2012, the Kizer House had become a public safety concern, and city leaders recruited Indiana Landmarks to improve the once-grand landmark. Using funds from the sale of our previous northern regional office, the Remedy Building, we undertook complete exterior restoration of the house, garage, and grounds. Inside, we removed a dozen apartments and returned the house to its original configuration, preparing the way for someone else to step in and finish interior work.

Our investment in the Kizer House will give the next buyer a head start on rehabilitating one of South Bend’s most prominent landmarks. The 7,000 square-foot house offers an ideal live-work opportunity for a buyer, with income potential to help fund interior renovation.

The property is listed for $349,900 and will be sold with Indiana Landmarks’ covenants to ensure its long-term preservation. Find additional details on Zillow.com.