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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowSome good and bad news to report in this edition of Property Lines. First, the good:
The historic Athenaeum building that houses the Rathskeller German restaurant is about to embark on a major renovation.
The Athenaeum Foundation on Tuesday is set to announce details of the $1.2 million project.
The building, located at 407 E. Michigan St. near Massachusetts Avenue, was built in 1893 by German immigrants to house their clubs. It’s been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973.
Now the bad:
The Irvington neighborhood on the city’s east side is mourning the approaching closing of a longtime staple.
Dufour’s will call it quits on Jan. 31, when owner Maria Dufour rides off into retirement.
The restaurant, at 5648 E. Washington St., has been an Irvington fixture since Maria and sister Bernadette Dufour Lathrop launched it in 1997 from a 10-seat space behind Jack & Jill’s Antique Mall.
It moved a year later to its current location at the corner of Audubon and Washington, and blossomed into a family affair. Sister Diane Dufour Metzler and brother Dan Dufour became partners and remained in the business for several years. Maria's been on her own since 2010.
“Everyone is reeling (from the announcement),” said Margaret Banning, director of the Irvington Development Organization. “They opened before Irvington was up and coming.”
Dufour’s serves breakfast, brunch and lunch and offered dinner on the first Friday of every month.
Neighborhood leaders are considering ways in which to express their gratitude for its commitment to Irvington, Banning said, and may explore a proclamation honoring Maria.
Also in Irvington:
ExactTarget co-founder and entrepreneur Chris Baggott received a zoning variance and design approval earlier this month from the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission for a project at 128 S. Audubon Road.
Baggott bought a strip center on the site of the former Irvington town hall and plans to add to the site a Mug restaurant—his second Mug since launching the restaurant in Greenfield in 2014.
Also planned for two additional storefronts at the strip are a small grocery store, perhaps similar to Goose the Market in Fall Creek Place or Wildwood in Fountain Square, and a gastropub.
Elsewhere:
Amazing Joe’s Steak House has opened at 3716 E. 82nd St., in the building formerly occupied by Oobatz! and Uno's Pizza.
Chad Massoth and Mike Robinson of Muncie launch Amazing Joe’s, which also has locations in Muncie and Columbus, Indiana.
Vireli’s Fine Dining has opened in the former O’Charley’s building at 3851 Vincennes Road on the city’s northwest side.
The restaurant offers steaks, seafood and burgers.
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