INDIANAPOLIS: Historic Landmarks Office safe after 28 Million dollar fire next door

The Indianapolis Office of Historic Landmarks appears safe after a a fire engulfed a 28 million dollar luxury apartment building under construction next door. The 3 Alarm fire broke out about 3:30 this morning in the "Cosmopolitan on the Canal" apartments on Michigan. Fire Trucks zoomed past our House early this morning and I could see the light in the sky downtown from our house. I got in the car and was able to get around the area to the western side of the canal to snap this shot before they closed everything down around the area. On the left is the historic mansion which is the site of Historic Landmarks. Due to the urban nature of the area this fire was dangerously close and thanks to the work of local firefighters who responded quickly this structure was saved.

At this point it appears that the Historic landmarks offices building which is right next door to the Cosmopolitan may have suffered only some minor damage to the roof on the newer structure than was built behind the historic mansion which was moved to the site that house offices for the foundation.

The Charles J. Kuhn House, is a local landmark . Kuhn, a German immigrant who owned a successful meat-packing business, built the Italianate home for his family at 413 West Michigan Street in 1879. Landmarks moved the home from its original location and moved it to 340 West Michigan Street Back in 1985. The mansion had many years of rough use and many had suggested that it should be bulldozed. The home was restored as part of a 2.1 million dollar project that included the construction of the new addition that houses offices for the foundation. Few people remember that this house was actually moved to this location and it was quite a site to see it lumbering down the street back then.

The Cosmopolitan on the canal is a luxury mixed use building, a Flaherty & Collins Properties development, was under construction and expected to open this summer. Many streets downtown are closed to traffic.

Our home in Indianapolis is about 1 mile east of this development and from our house right now at 7:30 AM the downtown area is still covered in smoke. Fortunately the wind is blowing in the other direction! Cause of the fire is not yet known and the building was unoccupied.