In 2009 this Greek Revival & Italianate, known as the Cotton-Ropkey House, narrowly escaped the ax and has since avoided demolition!! Some free or nominal-price buildings get demolished relatively quickly, but not this house. This house continues to survive even after narrowly escaping destruction, as it was even spray painted for demolition with an official demolition permit in place. For $1, you can save this c. 1850 building from continuing to face the threat of demolition by moving the structure to another location.
The structure was built by John Cotton, a Pike Township clerk and assessor in 1848. Other duties of Cotton included serving as the Civil War draft enrollment commissioner, a beekeeper, wine breeder, and wool grower. The house is one of the oldest structures and one of a few remaining pre-Civil War buildings in Marion County. Most of the other Italianates in Indiana are post-Civil War buildings. Since 1982, the building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
After being sold a number of times, the house was bought by the Ropkey family in 1937, who then sold it to Kite Realty Group in 2004. The Ropkeys sold the property after zoning regulations resulted in the relocation of their Ropkey Armor Museum to Crawfordsville. The museum held a collection of military equipment relics, including tanks and airplanes. Ropkey’s tanks were reportedly used in the movies “1941” and “Tank.”
The timber structure is 2250 square feet with two stories and 13 rooms. Notable features include a front porch, wrap-around second floor patio, crown molding, walnut hardwood floors, six-over-six windows, sidelights, transoms over doors, paired brackets along eaves, original window panes, and other original details. These architectural features are consistent with the U. S. Italianate style seen around 1850 to 1880. Common features in those types of buildings were two stories with low-pitched roofs; eaves with carved brackets underneath; and tall, narrow windows with arched tops.
The house sits on 95 acres in the Traders Point vicinity on the Northwestside of Indianapolis in the Pike Township. The building is located at 6360 W. 79th St in a rural area on 79th Street and Marsh Road, a block west of I-465. There had been some discussion back in 2009 between the foundation and Bob Kleinops, chief executive of Normandy Farms Development Co., about purchasing a site near the neighboring Normandy Farms Estate subdivision. Around that time, there were also no development plans for the land where the house currently sits filed by the owner, Kite Realty Group, with the Department of Metropolitan Development.
Some residents have been critical of Kite Realty Group for not seeking community input on the situation. The building may be a National Landmark, but it lacks local landmark protection or designation which is usually put in place by the owner. If the building had local landmark status and historic covenants on exterior and interior adaptations, any demolition requests would have warranted public hearings.
If the house is moved within a mile, the moving costs alone could be $30,000 to $35,000. This estimate doesn’t include the additional costs for the new lot, site preparation, foundation, utilities, permits, and restoration. Moving and restorations costs that include the land are estimated to total between $185,000 and $285,000.
Moving the house to the east is not possible because of not being able to cross I-465. Also difficult are the routes to the west and the south. However, the building could travel north to 86th street over frozen or very dry land. A suggested site is a three-quarter-acre parcel facing 7th street about 1000 feet west of the Normandy Farms subdivision selling in 2012 for $65,000 to $85000.
Kite Realty Group and its subsidiary, West 79th Street Associates, owners of the house and surrounding land, plan to use the site for office and retail development; but have agreed to give Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana time to find a new owner. After finding out about the house’s historic status, the realty group and their lawyer, Zeff Weiss, have put an indefinite hold on demolition plans. Although there is no official deadline, in 2012, there was some concern that development pressure would increase for use of the land. The house is also facing theft and vandalism issues. Despite these threats, Indiana Landmarks can only assist with locating an owner because the organization does not have the budget to buy and move the building themselves.
Could you be the new owner that helps this house continue to be “a survivor”? As an added bonus, one broker estimated the house in restored condition to be worth at least $300,000.
CONTACT INFO
Chad Lethig
Indiana Landmarks
Central Regional Office
317-639-4534
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