Published: August 29, 2007 08:36 pm         

Old juvenile center sells for $23K

TERRE HAUTE — The site of a former county juvenile center may soon feature condominiums and apartments, said new property owner Chad Overton.

Overton was the sole bidder Tuesday for 4.72 acres at 6801 Brentlinger Lane, the site of the former Vigo County Juvenile Center.

The old center’s building is located east off of Hunt Road, north of U.S. 40, near Hawthorn Park.

Overton is owner of Servpro of Vigo County, a fire- and water-restoration company at 850 N. Fruitridge Ave.

In 2005, Overton bought and converted the former Bedino Peace Chapel, at Poplar and Sixth streets, into an apartment building, which is rented out by a fraternity. He created a leasing company, Ashton Development LLC, to create that four-level apartment building.

Overton said he plans to develop the former juvenile center land in two phases, with condos, then apartments.

“We are not sure how many of each yet, but we plan to start within the next 18 months,” Overton said Wednesday.

“We’re happy we can put this [vacated property] back into use,” he said.

Vigo County opened a new juvenile center in March 2001 at 202 Crawford St., abandoning the old center, which did not pass Department of Correction inspections. Left vacant, the building soon became an eyesore, with shattered windows and transients taking up residency.

“At one time, we did find evidence that people had been living there with sleeping bags and other items, but the sheriff’s department never found anyone there,” said Paul Mason, president of the Vigo County Board of Commissioners.

Overton bid $23,000 for the property. He was the lone bidder on the advertised sale of the property.

The next step is for county commissioners to seek final approval from the Vigo County Council for the sale of the property, Mason said.

Mason said commissioners had to receive at least $17,000 for the property, which is 90 percent of two appraisals. One appraisal placed the value at $14,000.

A second appraisal listed the value at $70,000, however it also listed $50,000 as the cost to demolish the former juvenile center, leaving the final appraised value at $20,000, Mason said.

Commissioners in 2005 ran into problems when attempting to sell the property, after deeming it a liability for the county. The building that housed the juvenile center had been assessed with a value of $743,000, while the land assessed at $127,000. That assessment was done by a private appraisal firm in 2002 for Lost Creek Township. At that amount, a potential buyer would have had to pay more than $17,800 in taxes.

Commissioners then appealed that assessment before the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals and later worked with the Vigo County Assessors Office and the Lost Creek Township to lower the assessed value, enabling the county to place the property up for sale.

Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.