TERRE HAUTE — A historic courtroom, first-floor lobby with post office boxes and upper-level hallways of the downtown federal building will be preserved under the National Historic Preservation Act when the building is converted into the new home of Indiana State University’s College of Business.
Documents for transfer of the building to ISU, as well as ensuring historic preservation, are expected to be completed by the end of this year, said Julia Nicolae, project manager for the federal General Services Administration.
The building will be handed over to ISU in July 2009 or earlier, Nicolae said.
Prior to that, the GSA, which already has completed a Phase I restoration/rehabilitation project, will finish a Phase II project, costing about $3.5 million. That project includes construction of a first-floor contract U.S. Postal Service area to be maintained by ISU. It has been awarded to C.H. Garmong, a Terre Haute firm.
Work can start on Phase II once that company has cleared government-required security clearances, said Regina Nally, GSA’s regional historic preservation officer.
Officials with GSA, along with architectural firms for both ISU and the GSA, answered questions Wednesday during a public meeting that outlined historic preservation goals of the reuse plan for the building at 30 N. Seventh St. in downtown Terre Haute. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The federal government deemed the courthouse unsuitable after September 2001, when new security guidelines and setback requirements were enacted. The GSA’s lease on the building expires in September 2009.
A new 14,000-square-foot federal building will be constructed downtown at 921 Ohio St. to house the U.S. Southern District and bankruptcy courts and other federal agencies.
ISU in 2009 is expected to begin a Phase III project, which will convert the building into the College of Business. Part of that project will be to reduce the width of Cherry Street, adding green space on the north side of the building to slow traffic.
In addition, the federal building will be linked with ISU’s adjacent John T. Myers Technology Center.
“We are studying a connector at this time, either a tunnel or bridge option. A tunnel would connect the lower level [of the federal building] to the lower level of the John Myers Technology Building,” said Lisa Gomperts, project manager for Schmidt Associates, an Indianapolis architectural firm hired by ISU.
“Even a bridge option offers some opportunities in terms of a visual connection with campus and also a way to highlight the university. We are still in the study phase to try to understand which option is best and the cost of the options. Our hopes are to make a decision to go along with the Phase III construction,” Gomperts said.
ISU students would move into the renovated building in 2011 or sooner, said Nancy J. Merritt, dean of the College of Business.
The total project is projected to cost $23 million, with $6 million paid by GSA. ISU is targeting a goal of $11 million to be raised from donations as part of the university’s payment, Merritt said.
“Indiana State University and the College of Business, we are very grateful and very pleased to be inheriting such a classic structure. We share a commitment to the revitalization of this building to a new use, to preserve its historic nature and significance,” Merritt said.
Merritt said the large second-floor courtroom will be used for lectures and community/university events. The room otherwise will be locked and not open for day-to-day pedestrian traffic.
Existing benches, as well as tables and chairs for lawyers, in that courtroom will go to the federal courts’ new building on Ohio Street.
The courtroom on Cherry Street contains a mural by Frederick Webb Ross of the signing of the Magna Carta, “This certainly is one of the most spectacular courtrooms in the federal government’s inventory in the Midwest. It is really quite wonderful,” Nally said.
ISU will add 8,000 or 9,000 square feet onto the south side of the existing 75,000-square-foot building to provide a larger entrance, enabling two existing north-side entrances to be preserved.
The building has three above-ground floors and one below-ground level. Classrooms will be located on the lowest level and third level of the building, Gomperts said.
Terre Haute City Councilman Todd Nation voiced concern that the building in the future may use nearby parking lots. Nation, as a member of Downtown Terre Haute Inc., said he would rather see building development on existing downtown parking or vacant lots.
Nation said he is pleased the historic building is being preserved. The building opened on Dec. 1, 1934, with an official public opening in 1935, said Michael Conly of Architura, an Indianapolis architectural firm hired by the GSA. The building was designed by Miller & Yeager, former Terre Haute architects.
Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Related Photos
-
submitted photo
-
submitted photo
Discussion
Federal Building courtroom, lobby will be preserved when ISU’s College of Business moves in
- Local & Bistate
-
- UPDATE: Marshall, Ill., school bus driver involved in accident dies; cause appears to be cardiac-related
-
Terre Haute road name game
What used to be called U.S. 40 from the Wabash River west through West Terre Haute to Interstate 70 needs to be renamed and, probably, get new street addresses, a Vigo County planner recommends.
-
MARK BENNETT: William Henry Harrison taught us how to campaign
William Henry Harrison is running for president, again.
It seems impossible, because today would be his 239th birthday, and America has never elected a deceased person to the Oval Office. -
Air National Guard cuts won’t hit 181st Intelligence Wing
The Air National Guard is taking the lion’s share of planned cuts announced last week by the U.S. Air Force. But no cuts are currently expected at Terre Haute’s 181st Intelligence Wing. In fact, the nation’s evolving defense strategy may spell growth at the local base.
-
Friends group takes over Ernie Pyle home in Dana
The western Indiana home in which renowned Hoosier journalist Ernie Pyle was born and an adjacent museum dedicated to preserving his legacy as a World War II correspondent have a new owner.
-
ISU rec center pool out of service while being repaired
Indiana State University is spending about $10,000 to repair a swimming pool at the Student Recreation Center, which opened in 2009.
-
Clinton man throws away, then recovers, $50,000 ticket
A Vermillion County man found himself in a scenario that strikes fear in the heart of Lottery players everywhere. He threw away a $50,000 winning ticket.
-
Show to feature talents of artists with disabilities
Artists whose disabilities have overshadowed their work get a chance to shine in the light of a prodigy this coming month.
-
Fort Wayne forester tells of damage
The emerald ash borer likely will cause as much as $8 million in damage to Fort Wayne’s ash trees by 2015, the city’s manager of forestry operations told a Terre Haute audience Tuesday.
-
Unclaimed assets now part of Goodwill auction site
Many of Indiana’s unclaimed assets are now on Goodwill’s online auction site, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced Tuesday.
-
Toyota to increase Highlander output in Indiana
Toyota will increase production of the Highlander mid-size SUV in late 2013 at the company’s Princeton, Indiana plant. Hybrid and export versions will be included. The project is expected to create about 400 new jobs at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana Inc.
-
Friends of Ernie Pyle takes ownership, renames Dana museum
The western Indiana home in which renowned Hoosier journalist Ernie Pyle was born, and an adjacent museum dedicated to preserving his legacy as a World War II correspondent, have a new owner.
-
Spreading Goodwill
Goodwill Industries Inc. on Tuesday opened its third Terre Haute store.
-
Feds sending money to Feather Creek
Clinton residents have reason to celebrate.
Federal officials have granted more than $800,000 toward a $1.2 million project of widening and deepening Feather Creek, which has been a flooding problem in the city since the Great Depression. Work could begin in spring 2013. -
City to clean up Toney site
A contaminated petroleum site at the northwestern edge of Indiana State University’s campus will be transferred to the city of Terre Haute to remove the property from a pending sale.
-
Bennett: Terre Haute ‘moving in the right direction’
After four years of shrinking budgets and a slow economy, Terre Haute is “moving in the right direction,” Mayor Duke Bennett said Tuesday morning in his first “State of the City” address since being re-elected by Terre Haute voters in November.
Difficult financial and political battles are largely in the past, he said, and now the city can start moving forward in ways not possible in the past four years. -
Terre Haute group locates missing caver
An Iraq war veteran and caving enthusiast took his own life about half a mile from where he left his car on a rural road but more than four months passed before four young spelunkers exploring where they weren’t allowed found him deep inside a treacherous cave, Indiana conservation officers said Tuesday.
-
Schools celebrate rising graduation rates as ‘team effort’
For the fourth year in a row, Vigo County School Corp. graduation rates have topped the state average, school district officials said during a news conference Tuesday.
-
Arrested officer already on administrative leave
A summons to appear in Vigo Superior Court 1 has been issued to the former police chief of West Terre Haute after a theft case filed Monday was transferred from a different court.
-
Parade to honor Punter for N.Y. Giants
A parade has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday to honor Terre Haute native Steve Weatherford, a punter with the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.
-
DNA match leads to arrest in summer burglary
A recent DNA match in an Indiana database has led to the arrest of a burglary suspect by the Indiana State Police at Putnamville.
-
Authorities still looking into Monday shooting of teen
Investigation continues into a shooting Monday in the 600 block of Water Street, which is near the Wabash River on the city’s west side.
-
General Assembly ready to tackle legislative bottleneck
After a timeout to accommodate out-of-town Super Bowl visitors, the Indiana General Assembly is back in session to tackle legislation that had been bottlenecked by a contentious labor bill.
-
Shakeout helps prepare for earthquake
Drop. Cover. Hold on! Those are the directives for the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, a multi-state earthquake drill that happened Tuesday morning.
-
Website offers Valley health assessment
• The Wabash Valley Community Health Needs Assessment can be accessed at www.terrehautechamber.com.
It also can be found on the websites of both hospitals. -
Bolte Taylor exhibit will feature 5-foot-tall brains
An Indiana brain scientist whose memoir about her recovery from a stroke became a best-seller has dreamed up an exhibit featuring giant brains that will be mounted around Bloomington this spring.
-
Feather Creek project gets green light from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Federal officials have granted the funding needed to widen Feather Creek in Clinton.
-
Lost Creek trustee exploring possibility of providing computer lab for residents
A mobile computer lab has come to the Lost Creek Township Trustee’s Office to assist the public in job searches and applying for assistance programs.
-
Vigo schools see grad rate rise
The Vigo County School Corp. 2011 graduation rate improved nearly 4 percentage points and surpassed the state graduation rate, according to information from the state Department of Education.
-
Among Super Bowl ads, the stars were the cars
Lots of dogs and babies appeared in commercial advertisements for Super Bowl XLVI, but game-day ads also increasingly are pointing to social media handles, such as Twitter and Facebook.
- More Local & Bistate Headlines
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Video of Ga. Man Who Killed Girl Released
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Foreclosures Down 34 Percent in 2011
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Androgynous Model Walks Runway As Man and Woman
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
Eastwood in Super Bowl Ad 'Compassionate'
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Christie Brinkley's Runway Slip
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
Lady Gaga's Battle With Bulimia
Evacuation at Sea
SJP Talks About Replacing Demi Moore in 'Lovelace'
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
Osama Bin Laden Zombie Movie: "Osombie" Teaser Released
Thomas' moratorium: 'I'm out, peace'
VS Model Quits Over Religion
NASCAR Drive for Diversity
Khloe Kardashian Responds to O.J. Rumors
Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week 2012
SportsTalk Live: Most hated athletes - 2/8
Louis Vuitton Condoms?!
Tiger Woods 13: Legacy mode
Michelle Obama vs. Jimmy Fallon
Buffalo Barges Into Car
