Emerson Heights wins historic designation

Emerson Heights, a streetcar suburb just west of Irvington, has been added to the State Historic Register and will be considered for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. The neighborhood, which dates to the 1910s, is bounded by 10th Street to the north, Michigan Street to the south, Linwood Avenue to west, and Emerson Avenue to the east. It features tree-lined esplanades with one- and two-bedroom homes, mostly with basements and priced in the $50,000 to $100,000 range. Nearby businesses include the Steer-In restaurant, Emerson Theater, Si Greene’s Pub and the Kroger-anchored Linwood Square Shopping Center. The Indiana Historic Preservation Review Board voted Jan. 27 to accept an application for historic status funded by the Indianapolis Foundation, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana and neighborhood residents. Applications approved at the state level typically are accepted in the National Register. "National Register status makes tax credits available to owners of contributing properties and makes it easier to market the neighborhood to people who want to invest in an historic community," according to the Emerson Heights Community Organization. Check out the neighborhood’s National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, which details 1,000 contributing historic buildings in the neighborhood.