Jeremy Anderson and Gayle Meinsen of GM General Contractors are replacing rotted boards and will repaint the front of the Martindale.(Photo by GARY A. SCHLUETER/For the News-Examiner)
METAMORA — Regarding the Martindale Hotel, the secret was out long before the act was committed. The secret was someone was buying the Martindale, Metamora’s oldest commercial building. The act was Indiana Landmarks stepping in to catch it before it fell.
The Martindale is located in the heart of town, directly across from the small stable for the two Belgian horses which pull the replica canal boat Ben Franklin III on short passenger excursions.
“The Martindale Hotel was built in 1838 by Ezekial Tyner to house his store room and counting room where he acted as agent for the canal trade,” according to its historic plaque,
The wooden two-and-a-half story building is part of the signature architectural block that serves almost as a logo of the historic village. While it isn’t anywhere near demolition condition, it was slowly sliding that way.
The hotel had been on the market for several years. It was bequeathed to Charles Bublitz doing business as his sister Sherry’s trust after she passed away. The first price was set around $150,000. It dropped annually or semi-annually until early in 2012, it was in the $80,000 range.
At that point Charles Bublitz began to consider donating the property. While coming to town to do clean-up work around the property he informally approached Max Sloan, then president of Historic Metamora, and used the ‘D’ word – demolition. In an interview at the time, he said the group showed no interest in acquiring the property.
Mr. Sloan had proposed an almost $10 million capital improvement undertaking for Historic Metamora that would encompass everything from burying all utility power lines to Laurel limestone sidewalks along Main Street. The Martindale Hotel was never part of that plan.
Almost a year later, with no buyers stepping forth, Indiana Landmarks Eastern Regional Director J.P. Hall contacted Mr. Bublitz and earnest negotiations followed. Initially Indiana Landmarks listed it on their website for sale at $129,000, calling it, “an incredible canal era building with a very intact historic interior. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.”
When no one came forward to purchase, Mr. Bublitz again entertained the idea of donating it and this resulted in Indiana Landmarks taking possession of the building.
Mr. Hall said his organization will now place covenants on the Martindale to ensure its historical integrity. They have hired a contractor with experience in historical restoration and as of this week have started work on the outside of the building.
The plan is to redo the roof including the box gutters, then refurbish the walls especially in the back of the building where the structural damage is more severe. After that the exterior will be painted and the Martindale will be put back on the market.
At an introductory meeting last Wednesday, Mr. Hall asked Gail Ginther, treasurer-secretary of Historic Metamora, if it would be all right to paint over the existing black block lettered ‘Hotel’ sign painted on the front of the building.
“Of course,” she said. The sign was put on by an owner in the 1980’s and was not historically significant.
In the next month or so Mr. Hall plans to hold a meeting in the Martindale for the people of Metamora.
“We’d like to tell them exactly what we are doing and plan to do with the hotel,” he said.
His budget does not include work to the interior of the building and he hopes some ideas for the interior will come forward, as well as volunteers to work on it.
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