In 2023, Journeyman Distillery launched a $40 million renovation of a historic manufacturing complex in Valparaiso, transforming the site into a distillery, restaurant, and event venue. The project utilized federal Historic Tax Credits administered by the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Photo from RATIO.

News Release

INDIANA — Indiana Landmarks, a historical preservation nonprofit, has announced important federal funding has yet to be released.

The statewide organization posted a notice on its social media pages and websites in May, calling attention to the loss of federal funding and calling readers to action. Indiana Landmarks is a preservation association that focuses on historic places that have character and contribute to Indiana’s economy.

Mark Dollase, Indiana Landmarks vice president of preservation services, said the U.S. Congress approved $150 million for nationwide Historic Preservation Fund distribution last October.

Indiana usually receives around $1 million of the amount, Dollase said, which comes from offshore oil leases and not taxpayers. But over $570,000 in allocated funding is being withheld from Indiana, delaying refurbishment projects in Bremen, Howe, Pendleton, Plymouth and other communities.

Historic Preservation Fund dollars are allocated to Indiana’s Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology through the Department of Natural Resources.

The DHPA conducts surveys of districts, landscapes and buildings with historic value, according to its website. Natural register nominations, grant assistance for historic preservation and reviews of government action affecting historic sites are all handled through the DHPA. Projects worth $40 million in local investment, said Indiana Landmarks, are currently being managed by the DHPA through the Historic Tax Credit Program.

Dollase said much of the yet-to-be-distributed funds are used by DHPA for staffing costs. If the organization is unable to staff its office, Dollase claims, projects across the entire state will be impacted. This means buildings won’t be rehabilitated, communities will not receive investments and jobs relating to construction — or that could go into the restored buildings — will not be created.

Additionally, other projects that have already been funded may be abandoned without a functioning DPHA to administrate it. An example is the Bottleworks rejuvenation in downtown Indianapolis’ Massachusetts Avenue, which had 20% of its 200 million price tag funded by the Historic Tax Credit program.

Not only are already-appropriated funds not being made available, Dollase said, but continuing funding has been excluded from the latest One Big Beautiful Bill Act currently in the Senate.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation said last month that a bipartisan bill was introduced to reauthorize the Historic Preservation Fund. The bill has been referred to the House’s Natural Resources Committee, but so far no action has been taken.

Indiana Landmarks those who wish to see funding maintained call Senators Jim Banks and Senator Todd Young as the budget is discussed in the U.S> Senate this week.