County moving on from Jones School development plan

Thursday, July 23, 2020
The Putnam County Commissioners are looking for new options for the future of Jones School.
Banner Graphic file photo

Once a promising proposition for a delapidated school building on the city’s West Side, the plan to turn Jones School ino senior housing is apparently now a dead issue.

An agreement to sell the building to Milestone Ventures Inc. was originally reached in the summer of 2017.

However, the agreement was contingent upon the developer successfully obtaining tax credits from the state for the project.

It seemed like a done deal when the commissioners signed the agreement three years ago, as Milestone had an established track record of making similar projects work, including successfully turning Miller School, another former Greencastle school building, into Miller Asbury Apartments back in 2015.

Milestone is also the developer and owner of Millstone Pointe Apartments on the city’s south side.

However, getting tax credits has been tougher in recent years, whether the problem has been a more competitive field or a difference in the procedure.

Milestone has twice missed out on the competitive bid process, most recently last year.

The original purchase agreement expired last year, but the Putnam County Commissioners agreed to extend it for another 12 months.

That agreement is set to expire on July 31, and the commissioners have opted not to extend it again.

“I think we’re done with Milestone,” Commissioner David Berry said at a recent meeting. “They’ve tried and tried and haven’t gotten anywhere. I’d be willing to put it back on the market and see if there’s any interest. If not, Plan B is to completely tear it down.”

In the absence of an agreement with Milestone, the county finds itself saddled with an aging building that has not been occupied — except for storage — since 2011.

Situated at the corner of Madison and Liberty streets in Greencastle, Mary Emma Jones School served elementary school students on the city’s West Side from 1954 until 2001.

It was then sold to Putnam County for $1 and served as the Putnam County Annex from 2002 through 2011, when roof and other problems forced the Putnam County Commissioners to shutter the building.

With the only section of roof that doesn’t leak, the gymnasium continues to serve as storage for county records, but this has become increasingly problematic.

Without regular occupancy, the building is literally falling in on itself in some places.

Commissioner Rick Woodall said a local realtor had contacted him about the building, but he has not heard back from him in a couple of weeks at this point.

Even if the building is torn down, there is interest in the site.

Both the Putnam Inn and West Central Veterinary Clinic, with properties immediately east of the property, have interest in purchasing some of the land.

Others who might be interested in purchasing all or part of the land are encouraged to reach out to one of the county commissioners.

Additionally, if the county holds onto the land, officials are interested in building a new annex on the site.

For now, things remain in limbo, with officials aware that before a potential sale, they would have to get two new appraisals on the property.

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  • It's about time! Tear down that pit and build a new annex. Where else is the county going to find that much land near the courthouse? They already own it! Commissioners have dragged their feet too long.

    -- Posted by Ben Dover on Mon, Jul 27, 2020, at 8:06 AM
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