Historical Landmark - 115 Lafayette

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Frank A. Ketchen was born in Canada in 1897, married Marie and had two children. Mr. Ketchen was an insurance broker for most of his life. He eventually retired and moved to Florida in 1958. Frank's brother, Clinton James Ketchen was born in Canada in 1898 and was also an insurance agent. He too moved to Florida in 1960. The Ketchen brothers owned and operated the Dean/Lafayette Building for twenty -one years, selling it in 1965 to Vivian Turk, Orville Denniston and William Hooton. However, Ms. Turk sold her interest in the property to Mr. Denniston and Mr. Hooton three years later. Mr. Denniston was the owner of " Denniston Realty". He and Mr. Hooton owned this structure until 1973 when it was sold to Bruce Gafill Projects Inc., which has been credited with the restoration of the building in the early 1980s. This corporation rented portions of the building to various companies including assorted government agencies. They owned the building until 1988 when it was sold to the Trust Corp Bank/ South Bend Land Trust, who sold it in 1994 to the current owner, Schwander @ Company. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION This is a five story Neoclassical style office building with a rectangular plan and brick foundation. The building boasts brick walls, limestone and terra cotta details, large brick cornice and brick pilaster with terra cotta Ionic capitals. It also has a flat roof, internal chimney, articulated front door with limestone entrance, deeply set glass doors in marble sheathed portico and metal cased leaf door. The windows are double hung, single panes along the first and second floor, all with detailed stone jambs, sills and hoods. The remaining floors have double hung single pane windows with plain terra cotta frames and metal casings. RECOMMENDATION Based on the Historic Preservation Commission's Local Landmark Criteria's adopted by the Common Council, the building at 115 S. Lafayette has been recommended to the Common Council for designation as a Local Landmark by Historic Preservation Commission. The building meets the criteria in at least three areas: 1.) Its embodiment of elements of architectural design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship which represents an architectural characteristic or innovation. 2.) Its suitability for preservation. 3.) Its identification with the life of a person of historical significance. 2