January 15, 2019 -- The Charles F. & Mollie Centlivre House, 2417 and 2419 Spy Run Avenue, is now a designated Local Historic District. The home was originally built for Charles F. Centlivre and his wife Mollie, who were the family that operated the Centlivre Brewery. It was built in 1886 and is an outstanding example of the Queen Anne architectural style in Fort Wayne. The architects were the prominent Fort Wayne firm of Wing & Mahurin.

Two other buildings are included in the historic district, a large brick carriage house that is greatly oversized for residential use (it likely was used as part of the brewery operation), and a steel-sided garage structure that was built to store beer-delivery trucks in its 11 garage bays. This collection of three buildings represent the sole remaining structures associated with the site of Fort Wayne’s Centlivre Brewery and the family that owned and operated the brewery.

Recognizing the historic and architectural significance of the property, a “Petition for Historic Property or District Designation” was prepared by the owner, Marianne Centlivre of N&M Centlivre, LLC. The LLC is the owner of the property.

Local historic designation requires that the Fort Wayne Historic Preservation Commission review any future conspicuous exterior changes to the property. This does not affect regular repair and maintenance procedures that do not involve a conspicuous exterior change, nor does it mean that buildings/structures cannot be altered or demolished, or that new buildings cannot be constructed. Local designation also has no jurisdiction over use.

The Fort Wayne City Council approved the Local Historic District designation Tuesday, January 15, 2019.