J.F. Wild building getting makeover

April 2, 2008
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JF Wild & Co BuildingA local firm has begun renovations on an historic 12-story former bank building at 129 E. Market St. Crown Property Group bought the J.F. Wild & Co. building from Flaherty & Collins Properties for about $750,000. The deal closed two weeks ago, and Crown already has moved its offices into the building's first floor. The company has begun efforts to lease the mostly vacant building, which property records show was built in 1904. (Image is circa 1920s from the Indiana Historical Society.) Crown Property Group, which is privately held, also owns two other historic buildings along Market Street between Pennsylvania and Delaware streets: the Stock Yards Bank & Trust Building and the Barrister Building.
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  • benjaminApril 2, 2008 10:40 AM
    Is this on the south side of the street next to the parking lot or next to the stockyard building? I'm having trouble identifying it on google street view.
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  • cschoutenApril 2, 2008 10:40 AM
    It's on the south side of the street next to the parking lot.
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  • benjaminApril 2, 2008 10:51 AM
    Ah ok, they always have those cheesy displays in the display case. Not a bad looking building, I had no idea it was vacant. It would be nice to get it filled and then maybe get rid of that useless parking lot next door.
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  • AblerockApril 2, 2008 10:52 AM
    Are these interior or exterior renovations?
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  • cschoutenApril 2, 2008 11:08 AM
    Ablerock: The plans call for both interior and exterior updates.
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  • AblerockApril 2, 2008 1:44 PM
    Thanks, that's good news.
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  • berwickguyApril 2, 2008 1:51 PM
    In the early 70's, the name on the outside of that building was Hornblower, Weeks, Hemhill & Noyes This was an investment brokerage firm that was acquired in the broker consolidations of the 70's and 80's. Is that the banking firm that is referred to in the former building ownership?
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  • berwickguyApril 2, 2008 1:56 PM
    Once again HORNBLOWER, WEEKS, HEMPHILL & NOYES
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  • cschoutenApril 2, 2008 2:11 PM
    J.F. Wild & Co. was a state bank. Anyone know what became of them?
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    • ErichApril 2, 2008 2:56 PM
      Anybody know what became of the Penn Centre?
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    • berwickguyApril 2, 2008 3:09 PM
      Cory - the info you were looking for:

      8/5/1927 The Indianpolis Star printed announcement that state bank examiners had closed the $7,000,000 J.F. Wild Company, the largest state bank in Indiana and the oldest bond house in Indiana. J.F. Wild, president, blamed the closing on the theft of $275,000 Liberty Bonds the previous November.
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    • indymanApril 2, 2008 3:38 PM
      Was Mr. Potter involved in the theft? Sorry, I could not resist. It is a wonderful life.
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    • BobApril 2, 2008 4:18 PM
      WHAT!!!! It’s not being turned into $500.000+ Condos. What is the world coming to? When we stop turning old downtown building into Condos and start using them for what they where built for.

      Now all it needs is a nice new BOX like GLASS skin and BAM it's rentable. NOT
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    • ewyattApril 2, 2008 4:45 PM
      This group had an article written about them in the star last year. They are fairly low profile and focus on historic renovations and sustainable redevelopment. It looks like a great building.
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    • WeaselApril 2, 2008 4:54 PM
      The building is on the south side of the street, next to the parking lot and across from the Stockyards building. The parking lot is going to be used by a new TGIF moving in on the north side of the street.
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    • MarshallApril 2, 2008 6:20 PM
      Erich, last I heard, the Penn Centre project is still a go! Just a short delay.
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    • FLAHERTY AND COLLINS SOLD THEIR BUILDINGApril 2, 2008 9:30 PM
      FLAHERTY AND COLLINS SOLD THEIR BUIDLING
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    • benjaminApril 2, 2008 9:57 PM
      The parking lot is going to be used by a new TGIF moving in on the north side of the street.

      WHAT?!
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    • benjaminApril 2, 2008 10:02 PM
      Re: WHAT?!

      There is a plethora of garage parking/free evening street parking in the area.
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    • GbowApril 3, 2008 8:24 AM
      This is great news. I love the buidling along Market Steet. Market Street is probably the only street in downtown that has anything like a big city kind of feel to it.
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    • GbowApril 3, 2008 8:28 AM
      This is great news. I love the buidlings along Market Steet. Market Street is probably the only street in downtown that has anything like a big city kind of feel to it. the TGIF thing...not so great.
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    • FirewomanApril 3, 2008 10:03 AM
      uh.. where is the TGIF going? I hadn't heard about that. At any rate, that side of downtown could use more restaurants. All the others are clustered over by the mall. I'm sure the people working on the east end of downtown will appreciate it.
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    • BobApril 3, 2008 1:27 PM
      NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO MORE TGIF'S ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. CAN'T WE GET THIS CANCER STOPED.

      NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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    • FirewomanApril 3, 2008 1:48 PM
      Okay people, really. Would you rather all the spaces occupied by chain stores and restaurants be vacant? I mean let's get real. If people didn't shop or eat at these places they wouldn't keep adding locations. Rents in downtown areas can be high. Sometimes too high for a mom and pop restaurant/store. The true cancer is vacant, delapidated store fronts in downtown. I support locals as often as I can. Most of the restaurants where I live are locals and I love them. Besides the fact that all chains started out as an independent restaurant/store somewhere. Bitching about chains is like bitching about somone being successful. If you don't like them, then don't eat/shop there. Plain and simple.
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    • HelenApril 3, 2008 3:59 PM
      Bring on the Starbucks and Applebees...
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    • BicRicApril 3, 2008 4:02 PM
      WHAT!!!! It’s not being turned into $500.000+ Condos. What is the world coming to? When we stop turning old downtown building into Condos and start using them for what they where built for.

      Now all it needs is a nice new BOX like GLASS skin and BAM it’s rentable. NOT


      ^^ Priceless.
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    • Robert SaysApril 23, 2008 12:05 PM
      The parking lot on the southside of Market needs to go. Is this where the Friday's is going? A new building? It needs a substntial building where the parking lot is. Housing would be good. I agree this is a great street.
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    • J.F. Wild Bank
      John WildSeptember 9, 2010 4:16 PM
      J.F. Wild was John Franklin Wild, my great grandfather. I never knew the man, of course, but the bank lasted until the "bank holiday" during the depression I think. J.F. came from Noblesville, IN, where he was the son of an immigrant who came from Ulm, Germany.
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