Menu
Greencastle community center project rebidding likely coming
Four months after suggesting an August groundbreaking was possible on the proposed Greencastle community center/YMCA project, higher-than-expected bidding results threaten to push the project back even further.
It had been hoped that the project, which is now being referred to by local officials as the “Greencastle Wellness Center,” would have shown some visible signs of progress by now.
Greencastle Mayor Bill Dory conveyed as much to the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission (RDC) at its April meeting. “The goal is to get started in August and get as much done as we can before the weather gets bad,” he said. “Everything depends on the lead time for materials.”
However, at the RDC’s recent meeting the mayor had to report that the project as bid -- including a third proposed gymnasium -- received those higher-than-expected bids.
The city’s construction manager on the project, Tonn and Blank Construction, Indianapolis, suggested a number of rebids on masonry work, glass glazing, polished flooring, elevators, overhead doors, signs, food service equipment and landscaping.
It wasn’t for lack of trying. The mayor said Tonn and Blank Construction invited 568 firms to bid on the work. Reportedly, 92 looked at the bid package and 62 ended up bidding.
Dory said the RDC has been saving money for the project -- $12 million to $14 million -- and suggested that the city’s financial adviser, Baker Tilly US, Indianapolis, do an analysis of the project.
A special joint RDC and City Council session was also suggested. If the RDC decides to continue to move forward, the City Council would have to agree to do a bond issue.
“It’s going to be a big number, so there will be much discussion,” City Council member Dave Murray surmised from the City Hall audience.
“A big, big number?” RDC member Gary Lemon asked of what is perceived as the long-awaited maximum project cost.
“Bigger than we thought,” Murray replied.
“We need to know the number, plus or minus,” Lemon added.
With that, he made a motion to have Baker Tilly do the study. The commission was unanimous in favor of the idea.
“I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, it’s now or never,” Lemon said of the community center project that has been talked about for 40 years. “Prices aren’t going to go down.
“I 99 percent believe it’s now or never,” Lemon added.
When it was voiced that maybe the project would not happen at all, Lemon again shared his opinion.
“Not do it? I sincerely hope that’s not the case,” he said.
The city, Wabash Valley YMCA and Putnam County Hospital are all involved in the approximately 60,000-square-foot project. The city will own the facility and lease spaces to the Wabash Valley YMCA and the hospital.
The city has already acquired the site from the Ballard Family, 72.3 acres in all, east of the Walmart Superstore on the south side of State Road 240.
The most recent cost estimate for the project -- made public in May 2019 -- has been in the $10 million range, although there has been a significant increase in the cost of steel and other building materials since that number was made public. In addition, the City Council opted for a third basketball/volleyball court to provide greater flexibility for the building.
It has been suggested by architect Tom Salzer of Bona Vita Architecture previously that the project could take “15 months from design to construction ... once it gets to that point.”
Meanwhile, regarding another greatly anticipated project, the Indiana Department of Transportation recently received three bids, ranging from $12.3 million to $13.7 million on the ambitious U.S. 231 restoration project through Greencastle.
Reith Riley Construction, Lafayette, is the apparent low bidder on the project that will run from Frazier Street on the north to Veterans Memorial Highway on the south. Timetable on the work is still uncertain, although it is still possible the southern half, from Washinton Street to Veterans Highway, could be done this fall, while the northern half with more intensive work would likely not begin until next spring.
INDOT will be paying for everything except the city’s water line. The city will put up a match of $548,000 for that work.
“If we had to pay for that entirely on our own, we would have to raise water rates significantly,” Mayor Dory said.
The mayor also reported that INDOT opened bids on the Locust Street construction project with Feutz Construction, Paris, Ill., the low bidder at $2,296,607. The city’s 20 percent match for the drainage and construction work is $459,321.
In other business, the commission:
-- Heard that the first phase of improvements at Robe-Ann Park could begin this week on the south half of the park. Substantial completion is expected by mid-October. The northern half of the park will be addressed by a Soil & Water Conservation grant.
-- Heard the mayor report that the city will be eligible to apply for another round of Community Crossings funds in January. With Greencastle’s population falling just below 10,000 according to the 2020 Census, the city will only be responsible for a 25 percent match instead of 50 percent.
-- Heard the mayor respond to a question about the status of the old park house by reporting that the City Council has chosen not to put any money into renovation of the structure, which will “move toward demolition unless somebody wants to write a big check.” Estimates on repairs and restoration were in excess of $150,000. The house isn’t handicap accessible, the mayor noted, so it couldn’t be a public building. “We certainly don’t want to sell it, that would be a significant aggravation to the city,” Dory said to have the house be privately owned in the midst of park property.
The RDC will next meet in regular session at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 at City Hall.