Hartford City Gives 413 East Water Street Owner Until September 1 to Agree to Teardown

From the Hartford City Property Standards Board meeting on August 12, 2026

Hartford City's Property Standards Board voted 3-0 to authorize a settlement agreement for the condemned property at 413 East Water Street, giving the owner until September 1 to agree to a voluntary teardown. If no agreement is signed, the city attorney is authorized to file for a court-ordered demolition on September 2.

The property is owned by Nathan Theodore Bryant Barger. His father, who purchased the house through an online auction, traveled from Elkhart to speak at the hearing. He told the board he had planned to fix up the property or possibly retire there, calling it a "massive house." He said the roof was recently repaired at a cost of $1,400 and estimated a two-year rehabilitation timeline.

Chairman Ron Dudelston said a two-year timeline was "pushing it out quite a bit." The board upheld its teardown order from July.

City Attorney Tyler Rotstein noted that while the father indicated willingness to agree — saying "I agree" — he does not own the property. The son, who is the legal owner, received notice but did not attend the hearing. Only the owner can legally consent to the settlement.

The estimated cost to demolish the house is $8,000 to $9,000. The city would place a lien on the property to recover demolition costs. The garage is not included in the teardown order.

Source: YouTube transcript — Hartford City Property Standards Board Meeting August 12, 2026

Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.