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NNORC tours home whose renovation it had supported

The first floor of 802 First St. has seen some improvements, including refinished hardwood floors. The home is within the NNORC redevelopment map and the organization supports the improvement of homes owned by seniors in Huntington.
The first floor of 802 First St. has seen some improvements, including refinished hardwood floors. The home is within the NNORC redevelopment map and the organization supports the improvement of homes owned by seniors in Huntington. Photo by Andre B. Laird.

The NNORC (Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community) group recently toured one of the homes in Huntington that it has supported to be renovated.

The group's mission is to support the renovation and upkeep of homes owned by Seniors older than 60 within the community, allowing the seniors to live in their homes, feel safer and maintain their lifestyles.

On Wednesday, Nov. 4, members of the group toured 802 First St. The home was built in 1920.

The property, which was in disrepair, was bought at auction by Vinod Gupta, of Boca Raton, FL. Gupta contracted a company from the Indianapolis area to make improvements to the building.

After seeing the building deteriorate further, NNORC opted to intervene and contacted Gupta.

"We informed him of the condition of the house and the fact that if nothing was done, the city may have to tear it down because it was unsafe," states Marla Stambazze of the Huntington Countywide Department of Community Development. "All the contractor had done was paint the outside blue."

Upon receiving the information along with pictures of the interior as well as exterior, Stambazze says Gupta commissioned another individual, Marty Catlin, to make im-provements to the house. Catlin is a tenant at the house, which was converted into three units.

"The first floor is about 80 to 90 percent done," states Jim Ernst, NNORC member. "Even on a limited budget, Marty's improvements have made the home safer and it looks a lot better than it did when he first started."

Improvements to the first floor include repurposing the hardwood floors, painting and adding a faux-finish pattern on the kitchen walls.

"There is a lot more still left to be done, especially upstairs," adds Ernst. "But this is definitely a step in the right direction."

"This home has been a part of Huntington for a long time and it would be a shame to see it gone," states Stambazze. "I'm glad that something is being done to improve its condition and prevent that from happening."