Preliminary work begins at wellness center site

Monday, March 13, 2023

By ERIC BERNSEE, Editor Emeritus

Sign along the southern extension of Calbert Way at the easternmost Walmart Supercenter entrance heralds the arrival of work at the Greencastle Wellness Center site on the city’s East Side.

Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE

Long-awaited work has begun on the Greencastle Wellness Center site on the city’s East Side.

Topsoil stripping was the first step for Tonn and Blank Construction, general contractor on the project that will also include a YMCA-operated community center.

“They’re pushing dirt and stripping topsoil,” Mayor Bill Dory told the City Council at its March meeting Thursday night, adding that a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony can be expected sometime around mid-April.

Starting construction projects in the spring in Indiana often isn’t without issues and the wellness center is no different.

Soil stabilization has become necessary to allow the project to get under way and continue. Existing soils are anticipated to be too wet to work within project requirements, Tonn and Blank confirmed.

To counteract that, the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission (RDC), acting in a brief special meeting, approved a $116,953 change order for Sub-Surface of Indiana (SSI) to do the soil stabilization effort using limestone to stabilize the building pad and fine-grading the building pad post stabilization.

“If construction had started later in the year, when it’s dryer, we probably wouldn’t have needed it,” Mayor Dory said.

The stabilization subcontractor will provide the products to stabilize 14 inches of soil depth, spreading the product on the pad and using a tiller to till it into the soil up to 14 inches deep. That creates a stronger base for spring construction. SSI will follow behind the tiller and fine-grade and compact the pad before the chemical reaction takes place and the soils get really hard.

According to the changeorder approved by the RDC, architects Bona Vita and the contractor, the $116,953 addition brings the guaranteed maximum price on the project to $27,903,341.

At the City Council meeting, Councilman Dave Murray questioned whether the contract with Putnam County Hospital has been signed.

The contract is being finalized but not yet signed, Mayor Dory replied.

“It would be nice to have it done before the groundbreaking,” Murray responded.

Mayor Dory said he expects the contract to be signed soon.

The city, Putnam County Hospital and Wabash Valley YMCA are forging a partnership on the project, which is under construction on 73 acres purchased from the Ballard family east of the Walmart store and west of Ballard Lane on the south side of State Road 240.

The hospital will be paying an annual lease of $260,394 on 20 years of the principal only.

Construction of the YMCA and medical office building to be occupied by Putnam County Hospital factors to 59,725 square feet for the YMCA and its three gymnasiums and 11,270 square feet for the medical portion of the facility.

Substantial completion date on the project is listed as May 31, 2024. The new sign along Calbert Way heralds a summer 2024 opening.

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Come visit the wellness center! Get your prostate checked and play some pickleball... all in one location!

-- Posted by Raker on Tue, Mar 14, 2023, at 11:49 AM
Well it’s better than the prostate checks you can get at Robe Ann.

-- Posted by techphcy on Tue, Mar 14, 2023, at 4:39 PM
Seems offensive to make light of such an important procedure.

-- Posted by beg on Tue, Mar 14, 2023, at 7:47 PM
Wow, just wow.

-- Posted by beg on Wed, Mar 15, 2023, at 12:03 AM
So if I understand correctly the Hospital is owned by the people of Putnam County, and the Hospital will be paying $260,394 a year for 20 years for an eleven thousand square foot office. Somehow that sure doesn't seem the Hospital Administration is being good stewards of the people's money.

-- Posted by anotherPointer on Wed, Mar 15, 2023, at 8:11 AM
That comes to 21,700 a month or 1.97 per square foot a month. Wonder where that price sits for new business space.

You are correct regarding county owned.

-- Posted by beg on Wed, Mar 15, 2023, at 8:27 AM
So it's a wellness center and not a ymca?

-- Posted by Keepyaguessin on Wed, Mar 15, 2023, at 8:52 AM
You could say a YMCA is a wellness center. The activities at a Y can help to a better wellness both physically and emotionally.

-- Posted by beg on Wed, Mar 15, 2023, at 9:20 AM
Don't expect to go there to swim though. Better to have an extra gym than an indoor swimming pool. Who needs to swim anyway when we can have three gyms instead?

-- Posted by Falcon9 on Wed, Mar 15, 2023, at 10:52 AM
I think they're calling it a wellness center because they'll have a clinic for health screening tests to address any health issues you have. Of course, they'll bill your insurance at the hospital rate, so they're not doing it as a charity. As a ymca member, I imagine they'll probably be constantly soliciting you for tests and exams. Me personally, I don't need a doctor to tell me I need to lose weight or to eat better, trust me I already know! I feel like eating well and having time and energy for exercise is a luxury that's mostly only for well-paid white collar workers, or professional-managerial class types.

-- Posted by Raker on Wed, Mar 15, 2023, at 11:55 AM
Only certain people can eat healthy? Exercise is available to all. Most people waste 30 minutes a day minimum. That could be exercise.

I prefer to believe people have a desire to better themselves. It is an individual choice.

The mind is a powerful tool!

-- Posted by beg on Wed, Mar 15, 2023, at 2:46 PM
beg if you want to join when the wellness center opens, then go! All I'm saying is that there's only so many hours in a day, and only so much I can do, so like a lot of people, spending my limited free time devoted to being super healthy is not something I do. Maybe I'm just giving this "wellness center" a hard time because they don't have a pool. Plus, I don't like the hospital being involved, and with all the reporting I think they're shady and out to make fortunes off of our healthcare. But it looks like it's becoming common for the YMCA to partner with local medical providers and open these so-called "wellness centers" all over the place. It's good for Greencastle, I suppose. I'm sure it'll be a nice facility, and a lot of people will want to join.

-- Posted by Raker on Wed, Mar 15, 2023, at 4:58 PM
Raker,

I really enjoyed your response. Yes, I am serious. You stated your perspective, acknowledged mine, and did so with a great tone.

I respect and have a better understanding of your perspective after your explanation.

Thanks

-- Posted by beg on Wed, Mar 15, 2023, at 11:25 PM
beg don't get it twisted, I still think you're evil. You're impervious to reason, and always lying for your con-servative agenda. But I guess that's typical for NZIKKK theologians?

And it's been reported forever that the "working poor" or people living paycheck to paycheck have a hard time consistently buying and preparing healthy meals, and are too exhausted from the long hours at their laborous job to go the gym or exercise. It's not impossible, but it's pretty hard. I'm sure all this is obvious to most people, but apparently not you.

-- Posted by Raker on Thu, Mar 16, 2023, at 8:17 AM
back to the SSCLL playbook.

Oh well

-- Posted by beg on Thu, Mar 16, 2023, at 12:41 PM

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