Save The Fairfield-Nestel in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Please help us save the historical home, The Fairfield-Nestle Mansion in Fort Wayne, Indiana by signing this petition. If you don't know our story please continue to read on to learn more on our cause, we sincerely appreciate your interest. We know just one form of outreach to save this home will not be enough we have decided to create an online petition to help gather our interested parties names, emails and phone numbers. We are grateful we live in this generation so that we may spread the news far and wide to help save a historical home up for demolition. Our detailed story was beautifully written by the owner, Joe Leksich. Joe is a realtor in the greater Fort Wayne, Indiana area, but his passion is in restoring homes that have be forgotten for decades and unloved. Joe has breathed life into so many forgotten homes in the area but the Fairfield-Nestel Mansion has had his heart for some time. . .

"Recently I had to tell my children, Keaton 9 & Makenzie 7, that we will no longer be fixing up the "white house", as they call it. Keaton ask me why and I tell him the city has decided to tear it down. He ponders this for a little while and looks at me and ask "Daddy, why would they want to tear it down? It's such an amazing house, it's a mansion!" I look back at him and nothing comes out. I think and I think of an explanation to tell my child can comprehend yet nothing comes. Finally I tell him the truth "I don't know, Keaton. I guess they are just tired of it."
I have been dreading this post for a month now. The city put me in a position at court where they were no longer interested in giving me time to save the Fairfield Nestel. I have had time and opportunity to work on it this spring and planned on getting the outside fixed up this summer and painted. Sadly that is no longer an option. Cindy Joyner the head of Neighborhood Code Enforcement is tired of this file on her desk, tired of attorney fees and court cost, tired of sending her officers out to inspect the property. Instead of letting me have more time to repair one of the oldest historic homes in Fort Wayne the bureaucracy of the city will see this home and its history thrown in the landfill.
More than 130 years Fort Wayne's citizens blood, sweat and tears will turn into rubble. Thousands of people have passed through this home over those 130 years, pioneers of our town, national celebrities of our past, and many families throughout the years. There have been grand parties in this home that filled it with laughter. Children have roamed the halls and I bet a few slid down the curved banister. Great plans were hatched making dreams come true in the front parlor while other dreams were crushed and consoled in the bedroom. As many years as this home has stood, there has been a tragedy or two that filled it with sorrow, but never such a sorrow as we will see when the wrecking ball comes.
I sell real estate for a living. Restoring old homes is my passion. I fix up the occasional newer home here and there but only these historic beauties get my heart. As I work on these homes, I ponder about how they were built. I look at the old nails I pull out of native timber 2x4, that actually measures 2"x4" and think how hard they must of worked to cut each board by hand and then hammer into place. I scrap the siding by hand that has been weathered 100 years watching the thick paint flakes come off revealing the history of color on the home. I update the electrical and plumbing and fascinate over the web of wires and the soft malleable lead lines that brought water to the fixtures. Every house has a story, actually lots of stories. When you tear into it and remove the years of wall paper, carpet, paint and other improvements, the stories unfold before you. This home's story should not come to an end like this.
Many people look at these run down homes and think they only good thing to happen is a bulldozer. Not me! When I walk into the Fairfield Nestel I don't see the bare studs, the missing ceiling and the holes on the floor. I see how grand of a home it is and how I can make it beautiful again. I see the layout. I see the walls up, the lights twinkling, a fire roaring in the fireplace and the hardwood floors glistening. This home will always have a price of my heart and I feel devastated I let down the Fairfield Nestel.
I feel lost on how to keep the city off my property and the bulldozer away. So i ask of you to share your thoughts, your passion and your talent to show me a needle in a haystack. If the home can be saved I will always be here to bring it back to life!
At this point the court has closed my case. Cindy Joyner wants it out of her life and the tax man wants $9,000 in taxes for this home. I would happily pay it IF the threat of demolition was gone, but that is a lot of money for me to lose if it is torn down."

- Joe Leksich, Owner.

Thank you for adding your name to this important cause. We will continue to keep our awesome community up to date. Any suggestions, questions or support is gladly welcomed. Thank you!

Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jrerenovations/