Plymouth Common Council holds public hearing on $897,000 Historic Firehouse Renovation

The Plymouth Common Council held a public hearing Monday evening to support a grant application aimed at restoring the exterior of Plymouth's Historic Firehouse, a project estimated at $897,000 that has drawn strong community backing.

The city is applying for a $750,000 grant through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), with the city's required match set at $147,000. To help cover the local match, the city is also seeking funding from the 1st Source Foundation and the DNR's Historic Preservation Fund. If awarded, construction costs are estimated at $778,250, with non-construction costs — including engineering and grant administration — estimated at $118,750.

The scope of work focuses entirely on the building's exterior. Plans call for masonry restoration of the brick on all four sides of the structure, including cleaning existing paint from the bricks, replacing damaged or deteriorating bricks, tuck-pointing, installing weeps, and applying an opaque water repellent. The project also includes restoration of the cupola atop the firehouse tower, which has holes in its existing roof structure and deteriorating wood-wrapped columns. A new roof for the entire building and replacement of all exterior doors are also included.

During the public hearing, several community members spoke in favor of the project. Sandy Garrison, Director of the Marshall County Museum, highlighted the economic value the facility could offer. Anna Kietzman from Heartland Art Center spoke about the organization's current use of the space and its potential for community meetings and gatherings. Cindy Boener emphasized the importance of preserving historical landmarks, and Mike Delp called the Historic Firehouse a great community asset and expressed support for preservation.

Mayor Listenberger, who formed a committee roughly 20 months ago to explore options for the aging structure, noted that demolishing the building to create a parking lot would cost the city between $400,000 and $500,000 — a cost the city would bear entirely. By contrast, the proposed restoration project would cost the city a maximum of $147,000, with the mayor anticipating the actual local cost to be less.

Shannon McLeod, grant administrator from Baker Tilly, reported that the city's online survey garnered more than 400 responses, with 96% of respondents expressing support for saving the structure. The project has also received numerous letters of support to accompany the grant application.

While Councilman Randy Longanecker expressed support for restoration, he raised concerns about the building's long-term upkeep, recommending that the city develop a formal maintenance plan with dedicated long-term funding to ensure the structure does not fall into disrepair again decades from now.

The OCRA grant application is due by June 7th, with an award announcement expected in August.