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New bids sought for park house demolition
The last time bids were solicited relative to the park house at Robe-Ann Park, it was for restoration.
Since that didn’t work out to the tune of $142,000 just to bring it up to standards, bids are now being secured for demolition of the home at 405 Bloomington St.
Park Director Greg Ruark told the Park Board he has “reached out to three local excavators to remove the house, fill in the hole and haul everything away.”
The removal bids are expected to be presented to the Park Board at its April meeting.
It was suggested that the demolition could provide additional green space for the park.
“I don’t want it to be wasted space,” Ruark stressed.
Assistant Director Chrysta Snellenberger suggested the possibility of installing a lighted message board or perhaps just a sign with coming events listed.
Board member Doug Hutchison, a former Greencastle Zoning Board member, noted that message signs are restricted in certain areas as they can be considered distractions to drivers. That is especially true along busy streets. Bloomington Street isn’t just a busy local street, it’s actually a federal highway, U.S. 231.
“I think we need to do something that makes the entrance to the park a little more grand,” suggested Park Board member Tim Trigg, who earlier in the evening was sworn in for another four-year term. He said he’s logged 22 years on the Park Board so far.
“I agree with Tim,” Ruark responded. “That’s our main entrance.”
As far as signage goes, Mayor Bill Dory wondered aloud whether a sign might be better served at Tennessee and Bloomington streets in the far southwest corner of the park.
No decision was made on signage or any entrance upgrades.
Park Maintenance Director David Bault did urge that even after the house is razed that power to the site be maintained since that is a prominent spot for Christmas decorations and other amenities.
The park house has been used as the residence of the city park director for that past 50 years or more, affording the city the luxury of having the director basically reside in the park as a deterrent to vandalism and other problems, while offering the director rent-free housing as part of his employment package.
But all that ended after the Park Board learned last August that repairing a 2,100-square-foot house, for which maintenance was obviously neglected for a number of years, had resulted in restoration bids of $142,225 from Energy Conservation Solutions (ECS) and $202,796 from John David Roofing.
A big concern was that the home had plaster walls initially, which have been drywalled over. Those could collapse during interior work.
Mayor Dory admitted he was “flabbergasted when the bids came in,” saying he anticipated something in the $80,000 range.
City officials have agreed the house does not seem to be of any real historic value.
The house is Gothic Revival in style and once had a wrap-around porch that was removed long ago. “It’s been modified over the years,” the mayor said last summer, indicating that “any hint of historical fabric is long gone.”
The park house is not the family homeplace associated with the acreage donated to the city for the park by John W. Robe. The historic John W. Robe House, a Greek revival built circa 1914-17, sits north of Robe-Ann Park at 605 E. Anderson St.
According to the Eastern Enlargement pamphlet created by the Heritage Preservation Society of Putnam County, Robe was a Civil War veteran, lawyer and organizer of Central National Bank who donated the land for the city park that bears his last name and the first name of his wife, Ann Gillespie.