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Fort Ben home, condos fail to sell at auction

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The former home of the commanding general at Fort Benjamin Harrison and four condominiums at the old Army base failed to sell at an auction.

Reserve bids were not met on any of the homes during the June 17 auction, but the seller continues to work with potential buyers for the general's house and two of the condos, said Mike Couch, an agent with Sycamore Group Realty who has the condos listed.

The condos are among 48 units in three historic buildings redeveloped by VLB & Associates, a development firm owned by Virginia L. Basham, who bought the properties in 1996, shortly after the federal government closed Fort Ben.

The condos are all two- and three-bedroom units and range in size from 2,050 to 2,800 square feet. They had been listed for between $290,000 and $350,000. All but four of the first 32 units that were developed sold before the real estate market collapsed last year.

The house and the condominium buildings are on Lawton Loop, the street in the old Army fort where enlisted men’s barracks were located. The barracks buildings, which were built between 1901 and 1906, have historic details that Basham went to great lengths to preserve as they were converted to condos.

The 8,100-square-foot commanding general’s home had been converted into three apartments before Basham bought it and restored it to its original floor plan in the late 1990s. The three-story, 1903 home was the St. Margaret’s Guild Decorator’s Show Home in 1999. Basham intended to move into it but never did.

It was listed at one time for more than $1 million but was most recently listed at $792,000.

IBJ first reported on the auction in a story on June 8.

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  1. The Fringe! Plus, the simple fact that there are so many local faves in such close proximity to each other.

  2. I remenber, watching the toll road, being built, through South Bend, when I was 10 years old. I believe, back then that it was estimated, that the toll road, would be paid for in 20 years and then it would be free. I am now 71, what happened? Since the power is in the people, by that, I mean that, we the people are in total control of everything. I, suggest that no one ever use the toll road again, let it go broke. We the people can control the price of everything, from groceries to gas, if we would just do it. If we don't pay the asking price, the sellers will lower the price and if we wait awhile, they will lower the price to what we accept as reasonable. I would like to know why a highway like interstate 94, is so well maintained, a much better highway, than the toll road, but has no tolls. I would also like to know why, a sitting governor, with a term limit, maximum of eight years, can lease, public property, for 75 years. Even though I have transponders in both of my trucks and will not be affected by the increase, I have been and will contine to avoid using the toll road. I make many trips from northern Indiana to Chicago, every year, and I prefer the better highway, I94!

  3. Coming from her background,she should be used to those kinds of advances! Menard probably figured it was ok to tuck a buck!

  4. I'm still waiting for the list of available, high quality apartments in the Village.

  5. This criminal masquerading as a lawyer obviously has serious issues. He’s been proven by his own testimony to be a pathological liar and probably has a personality disorder as he seems to be constructing a reality around himself. He places no value on truth, honesty or loyalty as evidenced by what he has done to his clients and his own family. And by the demands and lies he has made in court, it is evident he feels entitled to do and say whatever suits his purpose and everyone else is expected to nod obediently and believe him because he is, after all, Bill Super Lawyer; or BS lawyer for short. This millionaire wanna-be no longer owns anything of value; he squandered it and put everything he had into foreclosure. He has no money, house, car, boat or vacation home left to show for what he earned or what he stole. He’s just another loser without morals who will be doing time. I’m certain all of his courtroom shenanigans are antagonizing his poor victims. As Lamar said, his behavior and claims in court have been outrageous. The judge needs to be more than concerned; he needs to be judicial and end this nonsense.

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