Fifty years ago, Richmond’s Starr neighborhood was considered one of the best-preserved areas of Victorian-era neighborhoods in the Midwest. Since then, it’s deteriorated to the point it’s been a repeat entry on Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered list.
Bill Bunch, the executive director of the Wayne County Historical Museum, visited the Jan. 10 Historic Preservation Commission meeting to discuss formally making Starr a historic district. Bunch said otherwise there might be empty spaces in another 50 years rather than the Victorian architecture.
“There’s so much history,” Bunch said.
The district developed in the 1860s with large homes, but many of those homes have since been divided into multifamily rental housing. Attention has returned to Starr, such as Richmond Neighborhood Restoration’s commitment to revitalizing Starr homes, but the neighborhood has not received funding similar to commitments downtown.
Bunch said a historic district designation would provide more grant opportunities for the museum and others, such as the Reid Center.
The commission was receptive to exploring the concept, noting that support of property owners and balancing affordable housing with neighborhood preservation present challenges.
Richmond does not currently have a formal historic district, but the Historic Preservation Commission oversees four conservation districts.
East Main Street
The commission still hopes Indiana Landmarks will help revive properties at 1828, 2110 and 2116 E. Main St.
Brittany Miller, who has since left Indiana Landmarks, visited the commission in November. She hoped to evaluate the former Crain Sanitarium and its neighbor and determine a projected cost to help save the structures. That process has slowed with her leaving, although Indiana Landmarks continues to express interest.
Demolition update
The commission on Feb. 13, 2023, approved the demolition of four Depot Conservation District houses: 900, 906 and 910 N. Ninth St. and 814 N. D St. All had been vacant for years.
Bob and Tami Johnson, who runs Abilities Richmond, received the certificates of appropriateness and demolished the buildings. They planned a new mixed-use building, with Abilities using some space and the rest being rented. Currently, gravel sits on the vacant lots, and Abilities has switched its efforts to rehabilitating the former Bullerdick’s furniture building downtown.
Commission members hope to receive an update about plans for the four lots and want to explore future inclusion of guidelines for properties if a presented plan does not come to fruition.
A version of this article appeared in the February 19 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.