Indiana Landmarks offering restored Victorian cottage

Indiana Landmarks is trying out a new approach to saving endangered residential properties: It renovated and is offering for sale a move-in ready historic home along East Tenth Street. The group traditionally has bought, stabilized and resold vacant historic homes, adding protective covenants that require buyers to restore and preserve them. But financing has become particularly tough for buyers in such deals, so the not-for-profit group tried out a new strategy for the 1890 Victorian cottage at 2014 E. Tenth St. The house got new heating and air conditioning systems, new bathrooms and new granite countertops in the kitchen. "We restored historic features—like the fireplace, pocket doors and hardwood floors—and also adopted contemporary trends," Mark Dollase, the group's vice president of preservation, said in a statement. "We created a master suite with a double vanity on the first floor—and amenity foreign to the Victorians but desirable to people today." Indiana Landmarks has listed the house for sale with an asking price of $134,900. (Click the before and after photos above for larger versions.) An open house is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. March 15.