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Read comments (24)The Linton City Council voted to accept bids for the demolition of the "A" Street building during its meeting on Monday.
"It costs $38,000 to keep the old city hall," explained Mayor Tom Jones.
With House Bill 1001 slashing the city's budget in 2009 and 2010, that money could pay for a police officer, he added.
"I'd rather have an officer on the street than take care of a building," Jones said.
In the past, one person has expressed an interest in purchasing the city property but never acted on the opportunity, he added.
"We've offered that person two years...," Jones noted.
The mayor also noted a written request from Joan Bethell -- who is the executive director of the Greene County Economic Development Corporation.
Bethell requested that the bids for the demolition of the old building be postponed. She also noted the building's historic value to downtown along with potential rehabilitation if it is sold.
After voting to accept bids, the council heard one public comment on the matter.
"This particular building does have some historical value...tearing down something like that is tearing down your history," said Jeff Thom, a local resident.
Old buildings give a town its personality, he added.
Council Member Jerry Ellett then noted that the building is in very poor shape.
"It's going to fall down," Ellett said.
Later in the meeting, Thom inquired into a price for the building.
Jones replied, "Make an offer....but do it quick."
The condition of the building is very poor and it's full of bird droppings, Jones added.
In a brief interview after the meeting, the mayor explained more.
"We want it down before the Fourth (of July) but don't think we'll have it cleaned up. It'll probably be after that," he said.
The annual cost of $38,000 to keep the building includes a budgeted $11,800 for utilities and the remaining is for insurance, Jones said. The building has no heat or water just electricity.
In other business:
* The city vehicle policy was removed from May's agenda and is now set for June's meeting.
* The council approved $500 for the purchase of flowers for downtown beautification pending a receipt.
* Jones announced that the Indianapolis Colts will visit Linton's Humphreys Park June 24. Look for a further update on the event in the Greene County Daily World.
For more on the meeting, including Police Chief Troy Jerrell's recommendation for raising traffic tickets and the current noise ordinance be sure to check out Wednesday's edition of the Greene County Daily World.
Selling bricks is a good idea to raise a little money...I remember that happening when the old hospital came down!
Good to have you back, Greene! But I still want to know who Reno is!
Here are some facts about the building:
It is crumbling from decades of neglect.
It is dangerous for those driving and walking near it.
It is currently not only a financial liability to the taxpayers, but a serious legal liability should someone get hurt or adjoining businesses be damaged from falling debris or collapse.
There are no municipal grants available for the estimated amount of money (over 1 million dollars) to renovate and make the building safe for any activity.
Habitation at this time is not possible because of health issues: pigeon feces on the top floor (2-3 inches thick), asbestos in the basement, electrical, plumbing, sewage and other utility systems are ancient and out of "code" for both fire safety and any professional business including a dwelling or housing unit.
The cost of insuring a building that size will continue to rise given the rate of inflation and the declining condition of the building.
No one has offered to take the building off the City's hands and accept ALL liability for it, including immediate repair and a rehabilitation plan. Since it sits on the highway, certain measures must be made to bring the property into compliance with City rights of way and sidewalks, etc. -- that would be required of a commercial business.
The roof/ceiling on the jail portion has collapsed.
The new building was built because monies were available and a bond could be done for new infrastructure. Those types of financing options were not available for the old building -- especially when the cost to repair or restore was more than the new building.
It is a neat facade and if someone has the money to save it or tear it down brick-by-brick and move it, make the proposal. It isn't being demolished because no one appreciates its age or significance to the history of Linton. It is being removed because time and neglect have allowed what was once a gem to decay and become dangerous.
Maybe we can all learn from this and the Cine debacle (and a couple of other buildings that have come into disrepair in the downtown). If you care about these buildings, then DO SOMETHING about it now before they too become dangerous.
Sell pieces of it to people, we people love buying pieces of old buildings or walls, not everyday ya can buy somthing made in the US.
Who's Reno?
fatty66:
I actually thought it was a rather good representation of a construction site.
More power to him!
I have an idea, let Reno decorate! He does such a fine job. I do like the Linton Stonehenge!!!!!! Nice touch to the downtown park system.
Have the best of both worlds... tear down the building with the exception of part of a wall and then let the "artists" have their fun! That way, there would still be a little history left but the "artists" can still be "expressive".
something else that might be hurting our community is that we seem to have a group of individuals who would like to see a whole bunch of us ticketed and prosecuted.
How are we going to expand the amount of people who come to our town when people portray such a close-minded and harsh point of view.
If we were growing we could save our old buildings. We are shrinking and that seems to be the way people like it. They already have thiers and could care less about the rest of the world: especially if something "bothers them".
There are new business's in this town that cater to atvs and golf carts. If you regulate the use of these vehicles those places will not continue to do business any longer. We have lost enough economic activity around here and can ill afford to lose more.
Advertise it on ebay. Sell it brick by brick if necessary...people will buy almost ANYTHING on e-bay. Honestly. It's worth a try.
Put in some condos and call them old city hall place...keep the stone and put it into the new construction.
WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER CINE.
It would be nice to save our downtown. This is a dieing community. Unless we get some infrastructure changes ie: hwy 54 turned into four lanes, I-69, and increase in coal production, it will continue down this path.
I am sure that building is a toxic waste dump and I do not want my children there.
Our town is filled with an ageing population and those who are younger are leaving in droves because of the increased cost in fuel to commute.
Our downtown could be a vibrant area, but that will not happen with craft stores. What is needed is tourism and a vibrant night life. This community is not interested in that though. Night life might be noisy and I am sure it will get you sent to heck.
Regarding the old city hall: One question I may have missed the answer to, but is the $38,000 annual cost to the city for insurance? It was my understanding there is not utilities or maintenance on the building now.
With the building having been "for sale" for at least two years, one has to wonder how long we would be willing to spend $38,000 a year just to keep it in case someone came along to make an offer. Add to that the potential liability should someone get hurt by the builing coming down on the hiway and I agree it is a White Elephant to the city. It is obvious that the exterior walls are already buckling and between the obsolete design and costs of upkeep, it's time is over.
Once it comes down, I hope that the City will look at any proposal to have something take it's place in keeping with our town's long-range plan. It should be a valuable parcel once it is slicked off and cleaned up.In a few years, we may look back & see that this was indeed a wise decision.
$38,000 a what, Timberly. It's not that I am for or against tearing the building down, but it doesn't look like anybody has changed a brick in that building since 1954. The cornerstone says it was dedicated in 1912. If that's $38,000 a year (I'm assuming the annual salary of a police officer) did the police & firemen walk out & leave the heat on? I didn't know my tax dollars were being spent like that. Tell Tom to check that thermostat.
Well, wanting to save it, and being able to save it are two different things.
Not all of us are rich.
Those of you who want to save it should put your money where your mouth is. I bet there won't be any takers though.
I agree totally with communitycentered. A teen center would be GREAT.
I have quite a few grandchildren and children that I care about greatly that could utilize a teen center. It might keep a lot of them off the streets and out of trouble. A teen center out of town would be a hazard for the children.
If they put it on park road they should put in a stop light at Park Road and 54, and fix the road there with guard rails or fill in the ditches or there are going to be a lot of wrecks(more than what most people think) there. That has been a dangerous turn for 50 years that I know of and a lot of people injured or killed there!
Another parking lot in Linton would be useless. It would only promote more children standing on the street corner. They congregate at all the parking lots now, let's do something for the future of Linton. These children that are standing in the parking lots are Linton's future, their families have lived there all of their lives and these children are either going to find another town to move to where they can find good jobs or they are going to get in trouble. Either way before long Linton is going to be a ghost town and everyone is going to wonder what happened, if we don't take care of the children.
I also agree that this is a historic building and needs to be kept. I am sure that there are grants out there that can be gotten to refurbish the building so it can be kept. It seems like everyone is thinking out with the old and in with the new, but not thinking. It is just like putting someone who has gotten old in a nursing home and forgetting about them. If you tear the building down then it will be forgotten, but if you fix it up and keep it going for the children as a teen center then you will be keeping the whole town from forgetting about it and it will be doing some good for the future of Linton.
I was born and raised in Linton. My children live there and my grandchildren go to Linton school, I visit Linton every weekend when I am home and I personally am getting tired of saying "that is where something used to be". It would be nice to say "Look what they are doing for the town they are keeping it alive".
After we get done tearing those buildings down lets move on to some of the other junk we have on our tax rolls that we don't need. I'm all for the council's decision.
communitycentered mabye you should buy that building and save our history and save the tax payers the money were spendind on old junk.
I'm all for keeping it around. It could be many nice things, but what are we, the people, to do? I for one (despite the previous jest) do not have the money to buy it or repair it.
Of course, do we remember what happened when someone tried to repair the cozy corner?
Is the council just planning on bringing in a wrecking ball? Would they consider a building deconstruction specialist? Some of them will even pay you to take down your building piece by piece. There is money to possibly be made from this venture. Look into it.
I find significant issue with this decision. Once this building is gone, its gone, it's lost forever, we cannot get it back! Our community will be regretful of this someday, I guarantee it...
This is one of the most architecturally interesting buildings in our downtown area. It has years of history, memories, and irreplaceable character. It would be a travesty to not invest some dollars in the building to save it. Surely, someone out there has interest in saving this building?
Just because something is old, does not mean that it needs to come down! Our city should have been fixing and repairing and making improvements to this building on a regular basis, instead of building a few new buildings and just letting this one rot to the ground. (And I am not blaming the existing adminstration, the previous administation is even more guilty.)
There are grants out there for communities address these issues. It could have been a teen center, instead of something so far from town that you couldn't walk. It could be a restaurant. It could be a storefront and apartments. It could be offices for local non-profits.
So, if indeed it does come down....what are we going to get in place of it? A parking lot? That will bring a lot of taxpayer dollars? (not!) --
Also, what about the historic jail behind the building. Is it coming down too...? It is even older than the city hall building.
Does anyone care to stand up for the history of Linton?
Our town council should be ashamed!
Tear it down!
The fed just gave me $600. I'll give you that for the building!
I would say if the building continues to fall apart, being it is located on Highway 54, it will probably cause a liability concern for the city. When the foundation shifts more, bricks will start falling. $38,000 will seem very cheap compared to the millions that could be lost in a personal injury case. Tear it down and sell the property. It is in a great location. How about building the youth center there?? Just an idea.
In the words of Ronald Reagan, "Mr. Jones, tear down that building."