About Us
The St. Joseph Historic Neighborhood Association was founded in 1981 by a group of concerned citizens interested in guarding the history of the area. In 1991, St. Joseph Historic Neighborhood was officially declared a historic district, sparking a flurry of redevelopment and restoration around the neighborhood in the years to come. By 2002, the St. Joseph Historic Neighborhood Foundation, a 501(3)c, was established to support the new district. Today, the association is made up of involved neighbors and businesses interested in fostering a sense of community and maintaining the integrity of the neighborhood.
Who We Are
Neighborhood Association
Neighborhood Association
Neighborhood Association
Founded in 1981, the St. Joseph Historic Neighborhood Association (SJHNA) presently consists of over 60 household and business members. We gather regularly for events, from porch parties to neighborhood cleanups. We believe a strong sense of community is what makes a neighborhood great. All are welcome. Annual dues help fund operations and events. The association is led by a volunteer board of directors.
Foundation
Neighborhood Association
Neighborhood Association
The St. Joseph Historic Neighborhood Foundation was created in 2002 and is managed by the association's board of directors. The 501(3)c non-profit helps support our neighborhood's infrastructure and other special projects that help maintain the character and integrity of our historic district. The most recent project was the update of the brick street infrastructure along 10th street.
Current Initiatives/Progress
Streets & Sidewalks
Streets & Sidewalks
Streets & Sidewalks
We work with City Council and DPW to address infrastructure concerns.
- 2021: Secured surplus city budget for resurfacing St. Joseph Street (work to happen 2022)
- 2020: Applied for DPW matching grant for sidewalk replacement (DPW says all identified areas are on their list. As of 2021, Fort Wayne & St. Clair businesses got new sidewalks and new ones are planned for St. Joseph Street as part of resurfacing
- Next big needs: 11th St & Sahm St. Additionally, following up to ensure sidewalk fixes happen.
Connectivity
Streets & Sidewalks
Streets & Sidewalks
St. Joseph is a welcoming neighborhood and we strive to find ways to keep that sense of community strong as well as keep neighbors informed.
- 2020: Developed monthly newsletters to share news, events and history. Proactively welcomed new homeowners.
- 2020: Coordinated regular social events, offered meetings via Zoom & started a social committee
- 2022: Updated website to better highlight everything about our neighborhood and its history
Neighborhood Identity
Neighborhood Identity
Neighborhood Identity
Our neighborhood is often mistakenly grouped with Chatham Arch or Old Northside so we wanted to call attention to it as a distinct district (and maybe inspire local artists to create items about our neighborhood)
- 2020: Logo was developed, street banners installed and digital communications were updated
- 2021: Created window clings for members
- 2022: Branded apparel and goods (in progress)
Neighborhood Upkeep
Neighborhood Identity
Neighborhood Identity
Keeping our neighborhood clean is important for many reasons: allows for proper stormwater drainage, discourages rodents and creates a more enjoyable environment for residents and visitors.
Updates:
- 2020: Formed a beautification committee dedicated to keeping up public spaces & added an additional neighborhood cleanup in the fall
- 2021: Doubled the amount of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful block captains and adopted the triangle median
- Upcoming: Tree plantings on New Jersey St and more median enhancements
Meet the Board & Committees
Mark Godley, President
Mark and his wife Susan moved to St. Joseph in 2015 to be close to their daughter and her family in Old Northside. Mark represents the neighborhood at HUNI and serves as liaison to other city officials, overseeing all the meetings and activities the board undertakes. Susan serves on the beautification committee.
Mark Sprout, Vice President
Mark and his husband Thomas have been in St. Joseph for several years. Mark is passionate about architecture and historic neighborhoods. He initiated our social committee, assists in event planning and also represents the neighborhood at HUNI meetings.
Jan Good, Treasurer
Jan has served as the board treasurer for over a decade, managing the association and foundation funds as well as business filings. She also ensures St. Joseph always has content in the Urban Times. She and her husband Ric have been in the neighborhood for over 15 years, both taking an active role in the neighborhood with Ric leading the beautification committee and serving as a KIB block captain.
Ben Langebartels, Architectural Review
Ben came to the neighborhood around 2010, spending several months restoring his 1870 home before officially moving here. This experience paired with his background in construction allows him to help businesses and homeowners understand the St. Joseph historic plan and prepare for IHPC reviews.
Eric Hannon, Member-at-Large
Eric and his wife Jenny moved here from Fishers in late 2019 to enjoy downtown living as empty-nesters. Eric helps in several capacities ranging from initiating profiles for our business members to researching history to assisting with general neighborhood upkeep. Jenny is also an active supporter and serves on the social committee.
Mindy McCutchan, Member-at-Large
Mindy moved to the area in late 2019. She's passionate about preservation and (mostly) loves being a steward of her historic home. She leads neighborhood communications and is the person behind emails, Instagram and the website.
Ben Csikos, Member-at-Large
Ben and his wife Andrea moved to St. Joseph in 2008. Ben is an Assistant Principal at Pike High School and enjoys supporting the community. As KIB Adopt-a-block captains, they are committed to keeping their corner of St. Joseph free of trash and debris.
Garry Chilluffo, Consultant
Garry was a resident of St. Joseph for almost 30 years. Though he's moved, he continues to provide counsel to the board with his extensive knowledge of IHPC, past initiatives and general neighborhood history.
Robin Kelly, Indianapolis Public Library
Robin is our neighborhood liaison at Central Library and assists with scheduling meetings and other items involving the library.
Committee Members
In addition to board members, several in the neighborhood support through roles on committees.
Beautification Committee: Ric Good (chair), Jenny Wright, Eric Hannon, Susan Godley, Ben Langebartels.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Adopt-a-Block Captains: Joey Amato, Ben & Audrey Csikos, Taylor Dooley, Brad Eckhart, Mark Godley, Ric Good, Eric Hannon, Aubre Jean, Ben Langebartels, Preston Long, Rita Milandri, Courtney Murray, Kelley Paul
Social Committee: Mark Sprout (chair), Jenny Hannon, Jan Good, Chris Cook, Alaric Aloor
Public Art: Harold Mailand, Brad Eckhart, Eric Hannon, Mindy McCutchan
Contact Us
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