Eastern Star Church has agreed to withdraw its petition to demolish a 113-year-old church building on the former Martin University campus in Indianapolis.
An attorney for Eastern Star told Mirror Indy the church is working with the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission and Indiana Landmarks toward an amicable resolution, and has decided to hold off on demolition while those discussions continue.
Martin University closed at the end of 2025. Eastern Star purchased the former campus in May and renamed it the ROCK Impact Center. In August, a contractor filed a wrecking permit to demolish the former St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church on the campus, and the Historic Preservation Commission responded by voting to grant the building historic status, putting the demolition on hold.
Historic designation still needs approval from the Metropolitan Development Commission. A vote had been planned for the commission's Oct. 21 meeting, but at the request of both the city and Eastern Star it was postponed to Nov. 18, which will allow time for a building assessment of the former church to be completed.
