NEWS

Reversing Blight in a Historic Neighborhood

Rehab of a home on Evansville’s Washington Avenue highlights rejuvenation in a historic neighborhood previously plagued by demolition and neglect.

Artist Ted Nguyen transformed a neglected house in Evansville's Washington Avenue Historic District into StaC Gallery, showcasing the work of local artists.

Turning Around the Demo Trend

In 2007, Evansville’s Washington Avenue Historic District had big problems. Demolition, abandonment, dilapidation, and damaging alterations were claiming an increasing number of the area’s historic homes, jeopardizing the neighborhood’s National Register status and earning it a spot on Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered list.

Turning around an ailing district of late-Victorian homes in a recession is tough, even when it adjoins one of the city’s most vital and attractive historic neighborhoods — the Riverside Historic District. A city committee created to focus on the area’s revitalization began to turn the neighborhood around. Indiana Landmarks partnered with Evansville Living magazine, the City of Evansville, and the Junior League of Evansville to transform a prominent house into the magazine’s “Downtown Idea Home,” drawing crowds who saw the possibilities first-hand.

Homes in the district date from the 1880s through the 1900s, a time of rapid growth in Evansville, and represent a variety of styles popular in the period: Italianate, Queen Anne, Gothic Revival, and simpler structures that borrow elements from grand styles. Large and imposing houses line Washington Avenue, the main thoroughfare into downtown, while the cross street feature smaller houses and lots, creating an economically diverse neighborhood that included comfortable merchants, small business owners, and laborers.

A Washington Avenue rehab highlights the area’s rejuvenation. Evansville’s Department of Metropolitan Development intervened to snatch an ornate Queen Anne-style house from the demolition docket, and save it via the city’s Brownfields Corporation, a public-private nonprofit formed to address blight in center city neighborhoods.

Washington Avenue before, Evansville

In spite of its deteriorated condition, the house at 416 Washington Avenue still commanded attention. Artist Ted Nguyen bought the house and embarked on a three-and-a-half year restoration. Today, the property houses StaC Gallery and a coffee bar, where Nguyen showcases the work of local artists.

Visitors can see the renovated space during gallery hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday. The gallery is also open during First Fridays in the nearby Haynie’s Corner Arts District. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/StaCgallery/.

Sign up for our e-newsletter.

Stay up to date on the latest news, stories, and events from Indiana Landmarks, around the state or in your area.