Fire station uses mulled (8/3/04)

Headwaters Heritage president Sandy Bubp, in collaboration with architect Kato Smith, presented ideas for possible uses of the former Portland Fire Station to the Portland City Council Monday evening.

Smith, president of Kato Smith and Associates Inc. of Anderson, said the building, which is located on Commerce Street, is in very good condition.

Bubp said the building was constructed in 1929 and contains 4,600 square feet. It is registered with the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana as part of a historic district.

Smith said the building could be used for office space, small businesses, a firefighters museum, a firefighters’ training center or a restaurant with an apartment on the second story.

Mayor Bruce Hosier said that some people have expressed interest in converting the station into a restaurant. He didn’t comment any further on the subject.

The total cost to do the renovations to the building for any of the proposed ideas, except the restaurant, is $115,000. To transform the building into a restaurant would cost more, Smith said.

Bubp estimated the cost of the feasibility study of possible uses for the fire station to be $1,800. She said, after the meeting, that Headwaters Heritage of Indiana will pay 80 percent of the cost, and the city will pay 20 percent or about $360.

City clerk-treasurer Barbara Blackford said this morning she looked through the minutes of this year’s council meetings and didn’t see any notes which indicated the council agreed to pay the 20 percent for the study. However, she said the city did agree not to sell the building until a feasibility study had been completed.

Bubp said the city agreed to pay the 20 percent, but couldn’t remember when the decision was made.

Also Monday, the council unanimously voted to approve a 10-year tax abatement request from FCC (Indiana) Mfg. LLC. The request was favorably recommended by the Portland Tax Abatement Advisory Committee, which met two weeks ago. The council voted to send the request to the committee on July 6.

The company plans to construct a 43,000-square-foot-addition to the building on Industrial Park Drive, which will cost about $2 million. FCC also plans to purchase a new model manufacturing line, which will cost about $8 million. The building addition and equipment would create 15 new jobs with a total of $375,000 in salaries.

Also, the council voted to send a five-year tax abatement request from Stoneridge Inc., to the committee for review.

Stoneridge, the parent company of Alphabet Inc.-Portland Division, would like to purchase two new pieces of equipment, which cost $77,865. The new wire cutting equipment and wire print station would create four new jobs with a total of $100,000 in salaries.

A tax abatement allows companies to pay taxes in increased increments over several years, instead of paying the full amount each year.

In other business, Hosier suggested the board delay the voting on two issues on the agenda.

Hosier said the council should review the proposed $3,322,638 budget for the city for 2005. A public hearing on the budget, which will increase funds for the Portland Municipal Airport, the street department and city council, will be held on Monday, Aug. 9, at 7 p.m. in the Portland Fire Station meeting room.

Also delayed was the first voting on Ordinance 2004-11, which regulates the Building Code of Portland. No date for the vote has been set.

Also Monday, the board heard:

•Hosier announce that the final plans for Glynn Barber’s proposed extreme sports park will go before the Portland Planning Commission on Thursday, Aug. 12, at 5 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Portland Fire Station meeting room.

•Hosier say that he has received several suggested uses for the old hatchery building on Wayne Street. Before any of the ideas can go forward, he will first have someone inspect the building for environmental contaminants.[[In-content Ad]]