WHEN INDIANAPOLIS Motor Speedway co-founder James Allison began building his brick, arts and crafts–style mansion on Cold Spring Road in 1911, he was one of a few members of the city’s elite putting down opulent roots on what would become known as Millionaires’ Row. His stately masterpiece included a silver globe chandelier imported from Germany; intricate wood- and stonework carved by European artisans; an indoor aviary with white Italian marble walls and floors, a pond, and a stained-glass skylight; an indoor pool; a music room with a two-story pipe organ; a telephone intercom system; and an elevator. Perhaps the most intriguing space is the small, surprisingly whimsical basement room where the windows are made of the bottoms of glass bottles and the walls and ceiling are covered with a gilt, hand-painted mural depicting Allison and two other co-founders of the IMS, Carl Fisher and Frank Wheeler, as young, 16th-century pheasant hunters. It was here that Allison and his friends frequently gathered to play cards, pouring themselves drinks from a liquor cabinet complete with an icebox located behind a pair of Gothic wooden doors. Allison died in 1928, and the estate was sold to the Sisters of St. Francis in 1936, who started Marian University. The home now serves as the office of the president. The adjacent formal garden and the Marian EcoLab, which contains ruins of the Allison estate and a neighboring estate, were originally designed by Danish landscape architect Jens Jensen.

The post Back Story: Hidden Treasure appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

FOR THE FIRST TIME since its construction in 1954, the home of the late architect J. Parke Randall has new owners. A time capsule of midcentury design, its fabulous features were perfectly preserved. Sitting on nearly an acre, the wooded lot is decidedly serene. When a house this unique hits the market, interest is likely to explode into fierce competition.

It did: Nearly 350 appointments were booked in eight days. Among the eager were Tommy Reddicks and Jess Monk. They were relaxing after dinner one Thursday evening when Reddicks saw the listing on Facebook. He recalls showing it to Monk, exclaiming, “Wow. This looks cool!” Even though they weren’t house hunting, nor did they have any plans to move, it took only a quick glance through the photos for Monk to start to fall in love. They toured it that Saturday and were both “enamored” within minutes. “It felt like home the moment we were in it, and that was exciting,” Monk says.

With the couple in agreement that it felt like it was meant to be, a rather big problem stood in the way: They didn’t have mortgage pre-approval, and the deadline for offers was five days away. Amazingly, they made it just in time, submitting at 4:58 p.m. for a 5:00 p.m. cutoff. Though not the highest above the $275,000 asking price, their offer was otherwise robust, with inclusions like appraisal gap coverage and an escalation clause. The phone call informing them that they got the house was a “magical moment,” Monk recalls.

A testament to Randall’s impeccable design, the home is still in good shape. “The detail and strength of the structure is amazing,” Reddicks observes. “They don’t build houses like this anymore.” While mechanical updates are needed, the pair is enthusiastically embracing the home’s restoration.

They plan to make use of every inch of the home’s 4,400 square feet. What was once the drafting room will become a throwback arcade, to the delight of Monk’s son, Drew. The darkroom (where Randall developed his famous photo of the 1960 Indy 500 scaffold disaster) will become fromager Reddicks’ “cheese cave.” Other updates include replacing the floors, fresh paint throughout, and adding several amazing vintage 1950s appliances in the kitchen. Their long-term goal? Listing the home on the National Register of Historic Places to give it the recognition it rightfully deserves.

ADDRESS
5350 Cheviot Pl.
PRICE
$351,500

The post Realty Check: Rare Find appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

A PROPERTY brimming with history is ready for an intrepid entrepreneur to pull its tap handles again. Positioned in the heart of Fountain Square is a time capsule from 1872. Once operating as Sam’s Saloon—one of the oldest in Indy before closing its doors in 2009—the property has been on and off the market for years. In addition to the saloon, there are four other parcels included in the sale of the nearly 1-acre lot. While numerous developers have considered the prime location, their intentions have included teardown and redevelopment, which is challenging given its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places and the seller’s desire to preserve its rich history.

Even so, Realtor Steve Bailey knows that a “special person” is out there who will appreciate its Victorian style and craftsmanship. “Walking into the bar brings a nostalgia that makes you want to sit and visualize the patrons who would frequent this establishment in decades past,” he says.

Standout features include the original bar top—a 24-foot behemoth made from a solid piece of black walnut; gas lights that still function; and a red, white, and blue “V” for victory painted on the bar mirror in 1945 to celebrate the end of World War II.

If the walls could talk, they would tell tales of surviving Prohibition (Sam’s had the first reissued liquor license after the dry crusade), housing the area’s first telephone when the technology was brand-new, a hushed crowd gathered to watch Apollo 11 land on the moon, and the day-to-day lives of the many local folk who were regulars.

With handsome built-ins and cozy alcoves, no wonder it was a welcoming spot for downtowners to tipple—and stay a while. With TLC, the tavern can again be the place in Fountain Square where everybody knows your name.

1640 Prospect St.
$750,000
F.C. Tucker

The post Realty Check: Happy Days Await appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

• Baer picked up these Umbra gold picture frames at The Container Store to showcase photos of family members.
• Vivid Jade Floral Wallpaper by Julianne Taylor Style keeps energy high. “I’m a maximalist when it comes to color.”
• A tiny phone is a memento of designing a telephone room in a St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild Decorators’ Show House.
• Labels are key to organizing. This petite label maker creates “old fashioned, charming” labels.
• A tape measure that goes down to 1/16 inch is Baer’s top tool for reorganizing a room. “You must measure first!”
• Baer donates anything she doesn’t use to charity. Until she drops the items off, they’re stashed in this basket.
• Baer’s pamphlet It’s Time to Get Organized. And Stylized. spells out her process for prospective clients.
• This new label maker churns out large, simple labels. “Different aesthetics call for different labels.”

The post Open Door: My Home Office appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

IN THE EARLY days of Covid, Brian and Tara Rochford had their hands full. They were navigating those first few bleary-eyed months of new parenthood while also remodeling their second home, all during a global pandemic. Like many of us at the time, they went for frequent walks to get some fresh air. The self-professed “real estate addicts” also kept their eyes on local listings hitting the market.

“This house pops up, and it was kind of expensive, and the pictures weren’t doing it much justice,” Brian recalls. “But we kept watching it and waiting.” Despite loving the home they were in, there was always a wish list tucked in the back of their minds with features their forever home would possess. “In our perfect dream world, we were going to find a house in Meridian-Kessler with a big yard, a home office off the main floor for Tara, a carriage house for hosting out-of-state family, space for two kids, and somewhere to house a home gym,” Brian says.

Bolstered by years of attending Meridian-Kessler home tours, they were familiar with all the properties in the neighborhood … or so they thought. They mapped the address of the listing and set out to do some reconnaissance with their dog, Bernie. “As we were walking here, we had the realization that we’d actually walked by this house nearly every day and never even noticed it,” Tara explains. Overgrown trees and shrubs had kept the elegant Tudor hidden from view.

Once the Rochfords went inside with their real estate agent, Betsey Erwin, they quickly realized this house checked all the boxes on their wish list. “It had such good bones, and everything felt right,” Tara recalls. They sat on the front porch, mulling the possibilities and questioning their sanity. “Let’s just see what happens,” Erwin advised. But there was no wait-and-see period. “Next thing you know, we own the house,” Brian laughs.

Built in 1925, the stately beauty of the Tudor’s exterior had easily stood the test of time. The interior, on the other hand, last saw an update in 1984—the year it was the St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild Decorators’ Show House—and had undergone a sprinkling of remodels prior to that in the 1950s and 1960s. While they loved the flow and ample square footage, they knew a complete renovation was required. The home needed central air, new plumbing and electrical, structural repairs, and so much more. “Everything that could go wrong with this house did. We wondered if it was smart to do this,” Brian says. Yet they pressed on and hired design-build firm Custom Living to tackle the colossal project.

Their goal was a tasteful modernization of the space, with a keen consideration for retaining as many original features as possible. What couldn’t be repaired or restored was painstakingly replicated by talented craftsmen guided by the vision of an interior designer extraordinaire—Tara herself. A registered dietitian nutritionist, she’s also passionate about design and recently launched Tara Rochford Home to take on projects for clients. Her aesthetic is “classic, traditional, and a little bit feminine,” Tara explains.

Take, for instance, the tiny powder room tucked behind the stairs in the foyer. While it had original, floor-to-ceiling subway tile, much of it was damaged. Tara found a historic tile company that offered a nearly identical style, added period-appropriate plumbing fixtures and hardware, and topped off the space with a delightful hummingbird wallpaper from Cole & Son.

As you move through the home, small, thoughtful details abound. Conventional light switches were replaced with infinitely more charming push buttons and brass switch plates. In the formal dining room, intricate plasterwork on the ceiling had been ruined by years of water damage. While a fresh application of drywall would’ve been the easy solution, Tara didn’t want the room to lose its grand feel or character.

“The dining room is one of the rooms we immediately fell in love with,” Brian says. Tara adds, “I like setting a table and having a formal family dinner. I love doing all of those old-school things.” The new ceiling is a nearly perfect match to its predecessor. Its corners are adorned by swirling detail, while an exquisite ceiling medallion complements the new chandelier.

In the formal living room, all the molding and trim is original. The Rochfords loved the room’s elegance and wanted to extend that tone to the main staircase and foyer, which had cracked marble flooring and major structural issues that were causing the floor and the staircase to sink.

First, they repaired the structural problems, and then they laid beautiful new marble. Next, their contractor skim-coated the walls and made custom molding knives to capture the profile of the original trim so that it could be carried through into the entryway and up the stairs.

While many classic Tudor-style homes have a reputation for being dark and enclosed, this one is a far cry from the stereotype. Natural light pours in from the home’s stunning windows, all of which are original. Many were painstakingly restored by Rob Bennett of Bly Bennett Inc.

Though the Rochfords tried to rework some of the original floor plan, it soon became apparent that an addition was necessary because “we wanted the house to function for our family and how we live today,” Brian says.

In the stunning kitchen, no appliance is visible other than the statement-making Lacanche range. Everything else is concealed by cabinet door fronts or tucked away through the pantry’s arched pocket doors.

One wall in the kitchen is punctuated by an elegant china cabinet that looks original to the home—and it is … sort of. Blueprints showing a large china cabinet that never made it out of the design stage were included in a box of “old stuff” given to the Rochfords when they bought the house. Cabinetmaker Nate Slabaugh of Nathan Alan Fine Cabinetry and Design used the plans to bring the 100-year-old design to life.

Upstairs, the Rochfords’ daughters, 4-year-old Marie and 2-and-a-half-year-old Claire, have equally darling rooms across the hall from each other. A few doors down, what was designated on the blueprints as a linen closet now serves as a highly functional laundry room with two tower washer-and-dryer units and beautiful cabinetry, hanging racks, and drying drawers.

While Tara and Brian’s bedroom and bathroom together make an undeniably dreamy oasis, it’s their dressing room that’s gobsmacking. Designed for use as a sleeping porch, the Rochfords transformed the room by adding custom cabinetry, an island, a vanity, and storage galore. Tara worked with Nathan Alan rather than a closet company because she “didn’t want it to look like stock cabinetry.” The attention to detail is stunning throughout.

“We love this house so much,” Tara says. While a new pool and renovated carriage house are the next projects in the queue, the Rochfords are putting their onetime Decorators’ Show House back on public display the evening of September 27 as part of a Twilight Tour to kick off the Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association Weekend Home Tour. Details about the event can be found at mkna.org/home-tour.

The post Home Of The Month: Breathing Life Into History appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

PROPERTY TAX ONLY GOES UP, but over the last few years it’s really gone up, fueled by a massive increase in home prices that began when Covid created a shortage of new construction. Buyers are paying top dollar for anything they can find. Since residential property tax is based on assessed home prices in the area, tax has risen along with real estate inflation. In 2023 alone, homeowners saw it balloon by an average of 17 percent statewide. Our primer explains why, how, and what you can do, realistically, if you believe your property tax is too high.

How much you pay is based on the net assessed value of your home.

Your county assessor, using formulas only slightly less arcane than those needed to cast a Patronus Charm in the Harry Potter books, determines the gross assessed value of your house. Factors such as the prices at which other properties in your area were sold during the previous year weigh heavily. Deductions you’re entitled to are then subtracted, which produces the net assessed value. The local property tax rate is then applied to this figure, resulting in your tax payment. For instance, Indiana’s average 2024 rate is 0.77 percent, so a home with a $300,000 value would be taxed at $2,310. Remember, that 0.77 is an average for the entire state. That makes all the difference.

Property tax rates are under the control of local governments, so they vary markedly.

Eyeing a place in Fishers? Plan on a slightly more than 2.2-percent property tax rate calculated into your mortgage payment. The median rate for all of Hamilton County is 2.02. In Marion County, it’s 2.77, but Beech Grove Center District takes a county high of 4.67 percent.

Assessments are made annually, and that’s a good thing.

Your tax for 2024 is based on the 2023 assessment; next year’s tax will be based on this year’s assessment. Prior to 2002, property assessments were sometimes only done at five-year intervals or even once a decade. Not surprisingly, this could produce sudden, massive increases, which produced equally sudden, massive outcries from voters. Annual assessments dulled the pain—like adding a teaspoon of hot sauce to a pot of chili instead of putting the teaspoon straight into your mouth. Even so …

Taxpayers still seem to find property tax particularly galling.

Activists (and that crazy uncle you only see at Thanksgiving) have made a lot of hay by characterizing it as government “rent” that homeowners have to pay in perpetuity to keep a roof over their heads. Rage over large, unexpected increases has ended political careers and even changed the course of history. For instance, in the late 1970s, California property tax increases led to a voter rebellion that ended with the passing of Proposition 13, which to this day limits Golden State property tax to 1 percent of the property’s assessed value. Some say this movement helped spark the rise of Ronald Reagan and modern conservativism. Back here in Indianapolis, Mayor Bart Peterson was considered a shoo-in for reelection in 2007—until he announced a substantial property tax increase. Thanks to that fiscal misstep, he lost soundly to political newcomer Greg Ballard.

The fact that property tax so often becomes a lightning rod for voter anger is a huge issue, because it pays for a great many important things.

Recall that property tax is assessed and collected not by the state but by local government officials in counties, cities, and towns. So it’s used not for nebulous, faraway “programs,” but for tangible, measurable efforts that are often right down the road from the homes being taxed. The list includes (but is by no means confined to) public schools, parks, roads, police and fire departments, and libraries.

If you fail to pay your tax, you could indeed lose your home.

But it would take a while. They say the wheels of justice turn slowly, but in delinquent property tax cases, that’s acutely true. And there are plenty of chances during the intervening years—yes, years—for delinquents to pay up and get back in their county’s good graces.

If you’d like to buy the house of someone who never did pay up, your timing is excellent.

Marion County’s 2024 Online Tax Lien Sale takes place September 23–27. All bidders must cough up a $2,500 deposit, which grants them the opportunity to bid on properties in every township. But the auctions are not actually held at the property but conducted online, so bidders are strongly encouraged to thoroughly research a property before they make an offer. The minimum acceptable bid on any parcel must equal all taxes, penalties, and special assessments, plus administrative fees. All sales are final. No refunds.

If you relish endless, Kafkaesque battles with a faceless government entity, you can always challenge your assessment.

In Marion County, this process begins at the Marion County Assessor’s Office by (surprise!) filling out a form. Then the assessor calls you and tries to settle the matter congenially. If that doesn’t work, the call is followed by a face-to-face conference. If this still doesn’t square away your complaint, you’ll get a hearing, followed by an appeal to the Indiana Board of Tax Review, then Indiana Tax Court, and finally the Indiana Supreme Court. If you manage to persist through this entire process, you can expect a final resolution (not necessarily in your favor) sometime before the heat death of the universe. On the bright side, since 2023, a property owner’s tax can’t increase as a result of an appeal.

At the end of the day, homeowning in the Indianapolis area is still a relative bargain.

Maybe there’s a reason why Bruce Springsteen wrote so many bangers about leaving Jersey. The sky-high assessed values of homes in the suburbs of New York City, to name just one outpriced region of the country, not only make it harder to buy a home in the first place but generate sky-high property taxes. For example, the median sale price of a home—on which the all-important assessed value is based— in Morris County, New Jersey, about 30 miles west of Manhattan, is $649,947. Compare that to Hamilton County’s $417,884 and Marion County’s $240,131. So when you’re writing that next check to the County Treasurer’s Office, you may want to take a moment of silence for those folks living in average middleclass houses on 60-by-120-foot lots paying an eye-watering $12,000–$15,000 a year in property tax.

The post Speed Read: Through The Roof appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

BUYING A HOUSE is already a stressful experience. Now, imagine making that enormous decision based solely on video tours while living more than a thousand miles away. Such was the case for Jeff and Eliza Widelski. The Colorado residents of eight years decided last winter that the time had come for them to stop renting. They wanted to purchase a home, but they felt the Centennial State wasn’t a good fit. “Colorado real estate had skyrocketed,” Jeff says. “That led our circle of friends to leave, and we were left there alone. We found that familiarity and people we knew were very important to us.”

Landing on Indy as their new home wasn’t totally random. Jeff was born in Northern Indiana, and he had lived downtown in the late ’90s. With Eliza’s family north of Chicago, Indy made sense. The comparatively low Hoosier home prices and cost of living were also appealing. Conducting the home search from so far away, they put a lot of trust in their Realtor, Natalie Clayton of Maywright Property Co., who went above and beyond by capturing detailed videos of prospective homes and sending them to the Widelskis back in Colorado.

And then they saw it—a 1910 Holy Cross beauty with tasteful updates, a great front porch, and classic curb appeal. The couple share an affinity for older homes, so “it popped off the page to us,” Jeff says. They spent hours “touring” the neighborhood on Google Maps and falling in love via Street View. The stress was worth it, according to Eliza. “It all came together perfectly,” she says. “Holy Cross feels much more suburban and closeknit, and it has good walkability.” And compared to Colorado? “People are a lot more friendly here,” Eliza says.

FAVORITE FEATURE
The front porch

PURCHASE DATE
February 2024

NEIGHBORHOOD
Holy Cross

SQUARE FOOTAGE
2,526

The post A Long-Distance Relationship appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

IF YOU KNOW where to look, you’ll find them sprinkled throughout Indy: hidden-gem neighborhoods filled with well-maintained homes, nearby amenities, and vibrant communities. For Madeline and Collin Noll, East Avalon Hills was the perfect—albeit unexpected—place that checked every box on their wish list. And it was right under their noses all along.

Both were born and raised on the north side. Their families still live in the area, so it made sense to settle there after selling their home in Louisville. They wanted a house with room to grow into, a big yard for their big pup (a cutie named Miller), an office for Madeline, and ample storage.

After a months-long search, Realtor Robbin Edwards sent them a 1970 colonial revival. “There were only two previous owners, and the house was in pristine condition,” Madeline says. Plus, the half-acre lot felt too good to be true. They submitted an offer immediately.

In no time at all, the couple has fallen in love with the neighborhood. “It’s a very warm, friendly, family-oriented neighborhood. Many homeowners have been here 20-plus years, and everyone greets each other,” Madeline says. “Plus, we love being so close to the interstate and the amazing amenities the north side has to offer.”

FAVORITE FEATURE
The huge backyard

PURCHASE DATE
February 2024

NEIGHBORHOOD
East Avalon Hills

SQUARE FOOTAGE
2,700

The post Hidden Treasure appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

IT’S A STORY that seems straight out of Hollywood—lifelong friends purchasing a duplex together and living side by side. But this story didn’t play out on the big screen; it happened in Indy’s Willard Park, where Elizabeth Anderson and Vicky Morrow are living out their dream.

Friends since they were 18, the Tennessee transplants were roommates many times over the years. They liked living together and understood one another’s quirks. When Elizabeth returned to the Circle City from Korea, she moved in with Vicky and her husband, Sam, while she house hunted. The arrangement was supposed to be temporary, but a wild real estate market sent that plan asunder. The friends had long joked about buying some land and living together, but when Elizabeth suggested a duplex in all seriousness, the Morrows agreed without hesitation.

Their wish list was straightforward: It had to be move-in ready and have HVAC, and the laundry room could not be in the basement. Their friend and Realtor, Lee Bailey, helped them navigate the drastically low inventory. After touring a “terrible” duplex, Elizabeth asked Lee to show them a lovely remodel they’d been monitoring, which was made even more enticing by a recent price cut. “We all liked it right away,” Vicky says. “It was nicer and bigger than any other duplex we’d looked at.” They’ve already implemented new traditions, like their “Monday Rot,” where they order takeout, watch a show, and relax. Future plans include adding a patio for hangouts and building a secret bookshelf door to connect the two spaces.

FAVORITE FEATURE
The remodeled bathrooms

PURCHASE DATE
March 2024

NEIGHBORHOOD
Willard Park

SQUARE FOOTAGE
1,800 on each side

The post Friendly Neighbors appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

Photograph by Robert Boogar

INDIANA LANDMARKS has a soft spot for homes of a certain age. The private historic preservation organization’s website and bimonthly magazine, Indiana Preservation, showcase exceptional old structures around the state—from a former automotive building with concrete floors and roll-up garage doors for days to a modernist stunner by Lake Michigan—that make DIY homebuyers dream big. Mark Dollase, Indiana Landmarks’ vice president of preservation services, explains that they have “an ongoing relationship” with the properties they acquire (following a lengthy vetting process) that goes beyond the sale of the house. “We attach what are called ‘protective covenants’ to the deed of the property to make sure that it’s maintained over a long period of time and doesn’t become a demolition threat again in five years,” he says. “We will be looking out for that property for decades.” Ready for a fixer-upper that’s not a quick flip? These diamonds in the rough from Indiana Landmarks are for sale as of press time and still standing strong, proof that they just don’t build them like that anymore.

Photograph courtesy of Dawn McKenna Group

HORNER HOUSE, BEVERLY SHORES Designed by renowned Swiss architect Otto Kolb in 1949, this idyllic wonder with views of Lake Michigan consists of three buildings: the three-bedroom main house with its living room cantilevered over a ravine, a guesthouse, and a one-car garage. $924,900 

Photograph courtesy of Indiana Landmarks

504 E. O&M AVE., NORTH VERNON Spanning a whopping 5,550 square feet over three floors, the home of downtown North Vernon’s original J.R. Greathouse & Son’s Hardware store has plenty of mixed-use potential—residential on top and retail on bottom. The interior is an exposed brick wonderland, and the property comes with an adjacent vacant lot for parking or expansion. $124,900

Photograph by Robert Boogar

458–462 N. CASS ST., WABASH These two historic homes are being sold as a bonded pair. The more-spacious one (on the right, at 2,177 square feet) is move-in ready, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It could serve as a handy home base for the more involved renovation of its next-door neighbor, a four-bedroom stucco beauty with salvageable original woodwork and interior doors and a well-preserved stairway. $135,900

The post Old Bones appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.