"Bloomington Debates Keeping Historic Limestone Sidewalks" - Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission, January 23, 2025

"Bloomington Debates Keeping Historic Limestone Sidewalks" - Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission, January 23, 2025

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### Headline:

**Bloomington Commission Debates Historic Sidewalk Preservation**

### Article:

In a spirited meeting of the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission, the focal issue that emerged was the preservation of historic limestone sidewalks, a topic that not only highlighted concerns about heritage but also about practical city maintenance and historical accuracy.

The meeting, convened after a month-long hiatus, initially dealt with mundane organizational matters, including temporary election of officers. Sam Doer was elected as chair for the meeting, with Jeremy Hackard serving as vice chair, both positions filled just for the duration of the meeting to maintain procedural continuity.

However, the session quickly pivoted to more contentious matters with the review of Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) 2502, concerning a property at 329 South Maple in the Greater Prospect Hill Historic District. The petitioner, Chris Sterb, requested approval to replace a deteriorated limestone sidewalk with concrete. While the staff recommended approval, citing the poor condition of over a third of the stones, the discussion soon deepened into a robust debate about the preservation of the limestone material itself.

Sterb passionately argued for the importance of preserving the old limestone, suggesting that while some stones were beyond repair, those that remained intact were superior in quality and durability to newer materials. "These survival stones are the ones that are approved by time. They're not going to break down and rot like these other stones," Sterb emphasized, urging the commission to mandate the conservation of these stones as part of the approval process.

Commission members engaged deeply with the issue. Jack Baker pointed out the failures of newer stone materials, which had deteriorated rapidly compared to the century-old limestone. "This 80-year-old stone that's stood the test of time has shown some of the stone was not of the same quality. It's all different quality of stone and what they're pulling out of the ground, and that old stone they knew what it was, and it was great stone," Baker noted.

The conversation also touched on the broader implications of such preservation efforts. Sterb highlighted a citywide program where historic stones were saved and reused, an initiative that seemed to have lapsed in recent years. "There's a program that we've done in my neighborhood and can happen on the west side where people can use these old stones to replace their sidewalk stones when five or six are bad, and they've failed, and these are just better than new," he explained.

By meeting's end, the commission leaned towards recommending that the city ensure the preservation and reuse of historic limestone, reflecting an ongoing commitment to maintaining Bloomington's historical integrity while also addressing practical infrastructure needs. This decision underscored the commission's role in not just overseeing changes to historic properties but also in advocating for policies that respect and preserve the city's rich historical fabric. This meeting, therefore, was not only about a sidewalk but also about how a community values and preserves its historical assets for future generations.

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