Spotlight Directory

Historic Queen Anne Mansion

This home at 2116 East Main Street, Richmond, Indiana, known as the former Crain Sanitarium, may receive new life as a Bed & Breakfast.

Historical photo posted with permission from Christine VanDyke. Photo Date: Unknown

Council to hear rezoning for B & B

Palladium-Item (Richmond, IN) - May 18, 2008
Author: BILL ENGLE

The former Crain Sanitarium, the stately Queen Anne style home at 2116 E. Main St., appears headed for a new life as a bed and breakfast.

The Richmond Common Council Monday night will get its first look at a request to change the zoning for the property from multi-unit residential to special use. With the zoning request comes initial plans to operate a scrap booking bed and breakfast at the site.

Richard and Christine Van Dyke of Fishers are planning to purchase the home, and the home immediately to the west at 2110 East Main St., and operate the bed and breakfast at the former sanitarium.

City officials said the Van Dykes also hope to purchase the scrap booking business from Michelle and John Zore, who own and operate The Scrap Booking Cottage at 2025 E. Main St.

City planner Scott Zimmerman said he was pleased to see plans for restoring the former sanitarium.

"It's a house that is important to the community based on its architectural and historical significance," Zimmerman said. "It will have the impact of taking a house that is in disrepair and putting new life into it."

The former sanitarium was built around 1890, according to the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures inventory, and was operated as a sanitarium by osteopathic physicians Drs. C.J. and Elisabeth Crain beginning in 1921, according to Sue King, archivist at Morrisson-Reeves Library.

The Crains operated the sanitarium for 20 years, but by 1945 the house was listed in the Richmond City Directory as the residence of a nurse, Mrs. Anna Wise. By 1947 it was listed as Glen Aire Hospital.

From 1949 to 1962 it became the Glen Aire Tourist Home followed by the Glen Aire Nursing Home through 1973, King said.

In recent years it has been an apartment building.

Council members generally welcomed the rezoning request.

"If they are willing to put their money in to update that piece of property I'm interested in looking at it," said council president Larry Parker. "It's a use that might help to preserve that building."

Council members Monday night will refer the zoning request to the Richmond Advisory Plan Commission for its recommendation. No action will be taken on the request until June.

Councilman Clay Miller said he has a concern about parking for the bed and breakfast.

"But those are the kinds of issues that the plan commission will deal with," he said. "It's a huge house and there's probably historic value to it so it would be good if it could be put in use."

Zimmerman said plans call for a "16-guest scrap booking retreat." He said the proposal includes parking for approximately 17 vehicles behind the residence.

Section: Local
Page: 1, 2C
Copyright (c) Palladium-Item. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from the Palladium-Item.