Two men come together to save a piece of history
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Fort Wayne’s NBC) - A warehouse in The Fort is up for sale, but two men are determined to make sure the buyer knows about its past because its apart of our community’s history.
If you’re on the hunt for property in The Fort, you’ll come across this warehouse that is up for sale. This is no ordinary brick building, but one that left a mark in history. Dating back to WWI, the building was used as a wool and seed dealer facility.
Located just off of West Main St., realtor Ben Wahli and historian Nate Lefever have teamed up to save the warehouse. How are they going to do it? The team plans to tell the building’s story to potential buyers so that it not only can be more marketable, but keep the history alive.
In 1914, Max Kraus and Moses Apflebaum, both from Columbia City, built the more than 60,000 square foot warehouse. It was the perfect time and location. They were surrounded by the Fort Wayne Knitting Mills, packing plants, the Lindenwood Cemetery, rail line access and more. The area was booming!
In 1917, the duo received a contract from the United States Government to be the exclusive wool distributors in the Midwest. With more than 3,000 employees, they had a combined payroll of over $3 million in today’s dollars.
When taking on historical listings, Wahli says most of his clients want a backstory.
Once his clients ask for that story, he hires Lefever, from Lefever Historics LLC, where he does in-depth research online, on tape and even from the original books itself.
Lefever tells me there can be a downside to buying an old building; the cost of repairs. Those type of buyers have to look at the positive side, which in this case is the bones and material that is still usable.
One of many buildings in The Fort that has made a stamp in history, but is ready to write a new chapter in its historic book.
To get in touch with Nate Lefever, you can email nate@lefeverhistorics.com and Ben Wahli’s is benwahli@yahoo.com.
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