Housing possibly?: Property along the north side of Wabash Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets is being considered as a site for Indiana State University student housing. (Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza)
TERRE HAUTE — Land now housing vacant buildings between Fifth and Sixth Streets along the north side of Wabash Avenue is under consideration as a site for downtown housing for Indiana State University students.
Thompson Thrift Development, building owners Mike and Kal Ellis and officials at Indiana State University on Thursday confirmed the 500 block of Wabash Avenue is being considered for a proposed ISU housing development.
Diann McKee, ISU vice president for business affairs, confirmed that the property is under consideration. “We’re aware that Thompson-Thrift is working to secure that property,” she said. “At this point the university has not authorized anything or signed anything regarding that property.”
Paul Thrift, president of Thompson Thrift Development, said the 500 block of Wabash Avenue “is under consideration and we are exploring the feasibility of that site.”
Thrift also said, “We continue to search for sites and are exploring every available site out there and are working through that process.”
Thompson Thrift has been evaluating potential sites for proposed new ISU housing in an area east of Third Street, west of Ninth Street, south of Cherry Street and north of Poplar Street. Any new project would include retail space on the first level to be managed by Thompson Thrift or a third party, with upper floors containing student housing to be operated and managed by ISU.
Initial plans were for 150 beds with a long-range plans of up to 600 beds, involving a mix of four- and two-bedroom units with limited kitchen facilities.
Thompson Thrift would own the property and would be responsible for construction, McKee said. ISU “would have a master lease with Thompson Thrift. We would lease the space from them for use as student housing,” she said.
Todd Nation, vice president of Terre Haute Landmarks and a Terre Haute City Councilman, said he is concerned that buildings with historic significance would be razed.
The organization plans to campaign to save those buildings, which are on the National Register of Historic Places, from the wrecking ball, Nation said.
Attorney and building owner Mike Ellis is in the process of moving a jewelry business out of the former Roger’s Jewelers building at Sixth and Wabash. Ellis said the building “is so infested with termites that if we don’t tear it down, it will fall down.”
Nation says the building housing Roger’s Jewelers is not on the National Register of Historic Places. However, none of the buildings under consideration, even if listed on the National Register, are protected by local or state ordinance and can be torn down by owners.
A structure at 518 Wabash Ave., formerly an Ellis law firm office, is condemned after a January 2000 fire. Mike and Kal Ellis have an option to purchase buildings at 522 Wabash and 534 Wabash from Joseph H. Seliken Jr., who owns the properties under Sassafras Inc., of which he is president. The option is in effect until Aug. 15.
Mike Ellis confirmed that Thompson Thrift has shown an interest in the property, yet said he would move forward to erect a new building in the 500 block of Wabash Avenue no matter what the outcome.
“If different investors that I am currently talking to decide, for whatever reason, that they are not interested in pursuing a downtown storefront with housing above it, then my brother and I will do it ourselves. That is how passionate we are about seeing downtown come alive,” Mike Ellis said.
His brother, Kal Ellis, said that means clearing existing buildings and constructing a new building.
“I will not tear it down and have an empty lot,” Mike Ellis said. “There needs to be a viable structure on that property. That will be a catalyst to the downtown coming alive, provided it is done with taste, with historical appearance in mind and it leans toward catering to the neighborhood which consists of 13,000 students on the back door,” he said.
Tribune-Star staff writer Sue Loughlin contributed to this report.
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