Historic Building Downtown to Receive Money For Restoration

Further incentivize downtown economic development

A $100,000 grant from the Community and Rural Affairs was awarded for the former Oscar C. Bear and Son Jewelers building on East Main Street, The building located at 206-208 E. Main Street served as a store front for a jewelry business that operated in Madison from 1907 until 1992 the store fronts were converted into one store in 1966.

Prior to the being converted a dress shop was located on one side and jewelry on the other with a tailor operating out of the second floor, the rare Second Empire Style building with mansard roof served this capacity until it closed in late 1992.

Owners of the building Brantley and Katie Beck purchased it from former owner Jeffery Burlson in July with plans for restoring and development turning it into two retail spaces with residential apartments on the second and third floors.

The OCRA grant was one of 10 properties awarded throughout the state to preserve and rehabilitate historic properties to incentivize downtown economic development across Indiana.  

Eligible properties must be at least 50 years old and either listed on the register of Indiana Historic Sites and Structures be listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or a contributing resource in a National Register District