July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
JJCL's Weiler grant backed (12/17/04)
Hearing held in support
By By Rachelle Haughn-
The meeting room at the Portland Fire Station was packed Thursday evening with residents from Jay and surrounding counties who supported the John Jay Center for Learning’s plan to renovate the Weiler Building.
The public hearing was held to hear input on a $500,000 grant application through the Indiana Department of Commerce.
The building, which is located at the corner of Main and Meridian streets in downtown Portland, will be the new home for the JJCL.
Ron Ross of the engineering/architectural firm Martin Riley Mock of Fort Wayne, which is coordinating the project for JJCL, said the grant money would be used to stabilize the building and arrest its deterioration.
The brick on the outside of the structure would be restored, the windows would be repaired or replaced, and the historical characteristics would be reconstructed.
Ross said making these changes would prevent further water damage, which is causing mold to grow throughout the building.
Many community members said they supported the restoration of the building.
Portland resident Betty Stone was the only person who spoke of any negative aspects of the project, saying she was concerned about the mold and pigeon droppings.
Stone is allergic to mold and has mold in her lungs. She was worried people could get sick from the mold exposure or get diseases from the bird droppings during the renovation process.
After the hearing, Ross said a consultant would come in and determine the best way to permanently remove the mold. The droppings could be simply swept away, and the building would be fumigated.
Repairing the roof would keep water out of the building, which would not allow for further mold growth.
The grant will be applied for under the category of addressing blight, which is a public health and safety issue.
Ross said the mold, droppings and bricks pose both health and safety risks to the community.
The bricks could fall off of the building and onto city streets and walkways, he said. Once the structure is stabilized and the decaying is halted, whatever changes need to be made to the interior of the building will be determined, said Ross.
Also Thursday, Jay County community developer Wayne Bailey said the first step in applying for the grant is to submit a mini application, which is due Jan. 14. After the DOC receives the application, DOC officials will sit down with city officials to discuss the project. A full application must be turned in by April 1.
Grants through the DOC are only available to cities, counties and towns, said president of the JJCL board of directors Doug Inman. The City of Portland is applying for the grant on behalf of the JJCL.
Bailey said the names of those chosen to receive the grants will be announced in early June. The JJCL will have to pay at least 20 percent of the grant in matching funds, he said. The city was awarded a $53,000 IDC grant earlier this year for the Weiler Building, which was used for preliminary architectural work, an environmental assessment, cost estimates and for setting timelines.[[In-content Ad]]
The public hearing was held to hear input on a $500,000 grant application through the Indiana Department of Commerce.
The building, which is located at the corner of Main and Meridian streets in downtown Portland, will be the new home for the JJCL.
Ron Ross of the engineering/architectural firm Martin Riley Mock of Fort Wayne, which is coordinating the project for JJCL, said the grant money would be used to stabilize the building and arrest its deterioration.
The brick on the outside of the structure would be restored, the windows would be repaired or replaced, and the historical characteristics would be reconstructed.
Ross said making these changes would prevent further water damage, which is causing mold to grow throughout the building.
Many community members said they supported the restoration of the building.
Portland resident Betty Stone was the only person who spoke of any negative aspects of the project, saying she was concerned about the mold and pigeon droppings.
Stone is allergic to mold and has mold in her lungs. She was worried people could get sick from the mold exposure or get diseases from the bird droppings during the renovation process.
After the hearing, Ross said a consultant would come in and determine the best way to permanently remove the mold. The droppings could be simply swept away, and the building would be fumigated.
Repairing the roof would keep water out of the building, which would not allow for further mold growth.
The grant will be applied for under the category of addressing blight, which is a public health and safety issue.
Ross said the mold, droppings and bricks pose both health and safety risks to the community.
The bricks could fall off of the building and onto city streets and walkways, he said. Once the structure is stabilized and the decaying is halted, whatever changes need to be made to the interior of the building will be determined, said Ross.
Also Thursday, Jay County community developer Wayne Bailey said the first step in applying for the grant is to submit a mini application, which is due Jan. 14. After the DOC receives the application, DOC officials will sit down with city officials to discuss the project. A full application must be turned in by April 1.
Grants through the DOC are only available to cities, counties and towns, said president of the JJCL board of directors Doug Inman. The City of Portland is applying for the grant on behalf of the JJCL.
Bailey said the names of those chosen to receive the grants will be announced in early June. The JJCL will have to pay at least 20 percent of the grant in matching funds, he said. The city was awarded a $53,000 IDC grant earlier this year for the Weiler Building, which was used for preliminary architectural work, an environmental assessment, cost estimates and for setting timelines.[[In-content Ad]]
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