Historic Spencer Building Receiving Attention

(Image courtesy of Indiana Landmarks)

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An Owen County nonprofit is continuing to transform a historic building into a community hub. Spencer Pride Inc. has used a grant from Indiana Landmarks to work with Bloomington-based Springpoint Architects on a rehabilitation of the Improved Order of Red Men Building, which dates back to 1898.

Spencer Pride started using the space as the location last year of its rural lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex community issue-focused meetings and activities. The building has been suffering from benign neglect and underutilization, and the organization is moving forward on plans that include repairs, expanding the meeting space and retail area, establishing a hangout area and, eventually, building four affordable apartments.

The building is located on the county courthouse square and features a distinctive second-story facade of locally-quarried St. Genevieve limestone and stone tablet symbols of the fraternal order.

You can connect to more about the building from Indiana Landmarks by clicking here.