'It's wonderful to see it get saved': Old farmhouse moved to make way for Starbucks, bank

History cannot be erased by development, but sometimes it can be moved.

That's what happened Thursday morning in New Albany, Indiana, when the historic Smith-Phillips Farmhouse on Charlestown Road was relocated around the corner to make way for a project that will include a Starbucks.

“The relocation undertaking is a very good example of how historical preservation and responsible development can work together for the benefit of an entire community,” said Justin Phelps, president of Hogan Real Estate, which is donating the building to Indiana Landmarks, a nonprofit preservation group.

More development: Proposed LG&E natural gas pipeline that would cut through Bernheim forest put on hold

Amanda Fry, whose grandparents once owned the two-story brick house, was there to see it moved to its new home.

"I grew up going there Christmas morning, many, many, weekends with my grandparents," Fry said. But she said it was "still rough to see it being moved."

The house was constructed in 1860 for William Smith, son of pioneer Martin Smith, who bought the land in the 1830s. It was purchased by the Phillips family in 1940 and then, another Phillips family — Fry's grandparents — bought the house in 1971.

Northside Christian Church bought the house from the Phillipses in 2000 and used it as an office before selling it to Hogan Real Estate, which considered demolishing it.

Hogan Real Estate had considered razing the two-story brick home, but "many folks in the community, including Indiana Landmarks, went before the plan commission for the City of New Albany and basically urged them to consider another alternative to demolition," said Greg Sekula, director of Indiana Landmarks.

A Starbucks and a regional bank will be located at the house's previous site, according to a statement released Wednesday by Indiana Landmarks.

The developer partnered with landmarks group as well as the church to save the building. Hogan Real Estate also constructed a new foundation for the house at its new home on on Lewis A. Endres Parkway.

Indiana Landmarks is now "going to market the property and try to find a third party who would be willing to develop it in a way that would be sensitive to the historic character of the building," Sekula said.

Reach Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez at abrinez@gannett.com; follow her on Twitter at @SoyAnaAlvarez

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Indiana farmhouse relocated to make way for Starbucks, bank