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Commission updates: Wise House move unclear; Blue School and designation efforts continue; Parks buys Moffett House
Summary
Staff reported the Wise House move remains pending while work on the Blue School and two designation ordinances continues; the Carmel Clay Parks Department purchased the Moffett House and plans to preserve it as part of a trailhead project.
Commission staff told the Carmel Historic Preservation Commission that an agreement among three parties to move the Wise House on Hazeldale Parkway has not yet been executed and that staff was told only that “the house is going to be moved,” but no timeline was provided.
On the historic Blue School (described as the only historic school building left in Carmel, on East 116th Street), staff said they had not received recent updates beyond limited tree-clearing and that a Saint Elizabeth Seton congregation committee had met with staff months earlier to discuss reuse options. Staff connected that committee with the Carmel Clay Historical Society for additional information about the building’s history.
Staff also reported progress moving two designation ordinances — for the Rowe Petner property and the Wilkinson House — through the municipal process. After prior slow response from a department, staff said they had recently connected with the city attorney’s office and expected drafts to move forward to city council in coming weeks; staff said they would notify property owners and asked commissioners to be ready to voice support at council hearings.
Finally, staff reported a completed sale: the Moffett House on River Road, one of Carmel’s oldest houses, was sold to the Carmel Clay Parks Department. Staff said the parks department plans to incorporate the roughly 3.5-acre property into the city’s White River trail system and to rehabilitate the house for use as a trailhead/visitor center with interpreted historic significance.
Commissioners welcomed the parks department’s purchase as a preservation-positive outcome and said they hoped arrangement details and timelines for rehabilitation would be shared as projects proceed.
