The Indiana Department of Transportation has begun preparing the five historic houses being moved to make way for construction of the Ohio River Bridges Project's downtown span.
INDOT purchased the properties and has agreed to relocate the five houses, preferably within in the Old Jefferson Historic District.Spokesman Will Wingfield says INDOT has secured new lots within the historic district for all but one of the houses so far.Over the next couple weeks, the company contracted to move the homes will be prepping the route, which includes trimming 15 trees.“One of the things that we’ll be doing that will be noticeable by the public ahead of the moves, that will begin in late May or early June, is that we’ll be doing some tree trimming and we’ll be removing and replacing some trees along Riverside Drive,” Wingfield says.INDOT also says parking restrictions will be in place during the moves. The cost to move the homes is around $612,000, Wingfield says.Indiana Landmarks southern regional director Greg Sekula says INDOT plans to sell the homes after they’re relocated.“After the houses are moved they will be placed on permanent foundations and then some exterior rehabilitation work will take place," he says.There are five additional historic homes near the Big Four Bridge that could also be moved later this year, which are subject of a preservation settlement between the National Trust for Historic Preservation, River Fields, INDOT and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The settlement included setting up a trust with $1.7 million which is to be used for future preservation projects.
