Kizer House Yard Returning to ‘Victorian Elegance’

Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndiana Landmarks is holding an event Tuesday to help reclaim the yard of a well-known property in South Bend. The 1880s-era Kizer House, which has been undergoing restoration since 2015, will have the "sea of concrete" surrounding the building removed and replaced by landscaping.
Indiana Landmarks moved its northern Indiana office into the historic structure last year. The statewide preservation organization detailed an overhaul of the property in 2016 that would eventually lead to the relocation of its regional office and potentially create space for other nonprofits or businesses in portions it doesn’t use.
The historic property, Indiana Landmarks says, has been yardless "for as long as anyone can remember." It was turned into multi-unit housing in the mid-20th Century. Other work that will follow full demolition of the concrete includes lowering the grade in the front of the property, re-installing a missing step in the front entrance, moving the driveway to the side of the house and adding parking in the rear.
Indiana Landmarks is inviting the public to take their own swing at the concrete Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at 803 W. Washington Street. You can connect to more about the work by clicking here.