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6 min read Above The Fold

Pink building controversy goes deeper than the rosy exterior

We’re left wondering why an organization that caters to pregnant women in crisis would make such a significant decision without considering the long-term consequences.
Pink building controversy goes deeper than the rosy exterior
A Women's Care Center in Fort Wayne recently purchased the historic 1887 Baltes Mansion in Downtown Fort Wayne, and painted it pink, damaging its rare sandstone exterior. (See ARCH's Facebook post.)

Hey Locals,

If you’ve driven through Downtown lately, you’ve probably noticed the historic Baltes Mansion on the corner of Broadway and Wayne was painted “Pepto-Bismol pink.” The 1887 building, designed by noted local architects Wing & Mahurin, is made from rare sandstone and had been meticulously maintained before it was recently sold to new owners, a Women’s Care Center. 

Perhaps the only thing more unusual than the paint choice is the story behind it.

For a quick refresher:

  • The building was painted over the weekend of May 8-10, and on May 11, ARCH Historic Preservation posted about it on social media. They noted that May is (ironically) Historic Preservation Month, and paint will damage this building’s exterior. 
  • WANE 15 interviewed the Women’s Care Center about this, but spokespeople claimed they only painted parts of the building that “had already been painted.” They also said they “worked closely” with the City of Fort Wayne’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) during the renovation. 
  • Multiple residents of Downtown’s West Central Neighborhood and the building’s former owners disputed these claims. They asked us to contact the HPC and look into the matter.

When we did, we realized this story goes deeper than the rosy exterior and draws attention to a significant shift in how women’s healthcare is being treated and funded in Indiana.

So… what really happened between the Women’s Care Center and the HPC? What is a Women’s Care Center anyway? And why does this matter?

Let’s dive in.

To learn more about the situation, we received information from:

  • Representatives from the city’s Historic Preservation Commission
  • Katherine Kelly, spokesperson for the Women’s Care Center
  • Numerous residents in the West Central Neighborhood
  • The building’s former owners
  • Multiple articles about Women’s Care Centers by the Indiana Capital Chronicle and other news outlets
  1. What really happened between the Women’s Care Center and the HPC? 

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Published by:

Kara Hackett

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