In 1926, Chicago-based Montgomery Ward, a company that had focused on mail-order sales since its founding in 1872, opened its first storefront in downtown Plymouth, Indiana. In 1929 it expanded into a larger facility at 214 N. Michigan St., built with a Beaux Arts concept that became the architectural model for the rapidly expanding company. Over the years the building housed a variety of businesses, including the local newspaper, but fell into a cycle of deferred maintenance.

Heartland Art Center was awarded $800,000 in READI 2.0 funds as part of a $5.6 million project to restore and refurbish the building into a regional arts hub.

A larger home for a volunteer arts organization

Heartland Art Center is an all-volunteer arts organization founded in the 1970s. It has 150 members, made up of artists and arts supporters. The organization is moving from a 2,000-square-foot space to the Montgomery Ward building’s 23,000 square feet across three floors, which will allow it to expand programming, improve office space and add a new event center while respecting the building’s historical significance.

“When people walk into this building, I want them to see what’s possible in a rural community,” said Anna Kietzman, Executive Director of Heartland Art Center. “A century ago, this building represented innovation and opportunity through Montgomery Ward. Today, we’re transforming it into a regional arts and entrepreneurship hub that demonstrates how arts-driven economic development can strengthen rural places. By bringing together artists, entrepreneurs, educators, businesses, and community members under one roof, we’re creating a destination that supports local talent, attracts visitors, sparks investment, and contributes to a vibrant quality of life. READI’s investment is helping us honor Plymouth’s history while building a stronger future for our region.”

What the building will hold

The first floor will include the main gallery, a gift shop, a multi-sensory room and office space. The mezzanine will be the future home of the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation, along with a business incubator co-working space. The second floor adds an event space large enough to hold 247 people, with a catering kitchen.

A projected second phase includes an artist-in-residence studio on the second floor and development of the basement to include studios and classrooms.

Reach and expected growth

The organization currently holds roughly 20 classes per month, with 300 regional artists involved. It hosts 30 events a year, including the annual Arts in the Streets festival, which attracts between 2,000 and 3,000 people. It also volunteers $1 million of work hours toward public exhibitions and events, as well as classes at the county jail, schools, libraries and assisted living facilities.

Once the project is complete, the organization anticipates a 50 percent increase in the number of classes held and in membership, and a 33 percent increase in visitors. The event center will also open new opportunities for weddings, corporate events and performances.

“The Heartland Art Center project is a phenomenal adaptive reuse project that will impact the community in a variety of ways,” said Angela Workman, READI Finance Manager at the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership. “You have a historic building with deep roots in this community being transformed into a regional arts hub that will drive economic activity, expand access to the arts, and give Marshall County a gathering place for generations to come. The Montgomery Ward building has been a part of Plymouth’s story for nearly a century, and this investment ensures it will continue to be – now as a vibrant center for creativity, collaboration, and community.”

Read more in the 2025 Annual Report

This story appears in the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership’s 2025 Annual Report. Read the full 2025 Annual Report for more on the Partnership’s work and the region.