Efforts to restore one of the most important historic landmarks in Belleville have been on a rollercoaster ride for 25 years, with highs and lows usually dictated by cash on hand.
Today, the Gustave Koerner House is on a high, thanks to $500,000 in state grants, an 80-year-old volunteer bursting with energy and a group of citizens launching a fundraising campaign.
The grants are paying for contractors to remove and replace a dilapidated two-story porch on the west side of the 1854 Greek Revival-style home, which is owned by the city. They’re also eliminating a section that was enclosed about 1910 to accommodate indoor plumbing…