January 24, 2009

Ex-WRT fire station sold

       A Greenwood man saw a 1950s-era former fire station as a good investment.  Bob Kearney plans to purchase White River Township's oldest fire station, which has been vacant since 2007 when firefighters moved to a new location.  Kearney doesn't have plans for what he'll do with the two-story building, 1086 S. Runyon Road.   "I know it has some history, and it just seemed to be something of interest," Kearney said. "I thought it would be a good investment."

         Kearney submitted a $100,000 bid to buy the station in early January, White River Township Fire Chief Jeremy Pell said.  The paperwork is not final, but the township plans to sell the building to Kearney, Pell said.  A previous bidder wanted to convert the 5,000-square-foot station into a home, but the sale fell through because of financial reasons, he said.

        The second floor of the station served as living space for fire personnel, and the downstairs is a bay area with large lifting doors.  The station is zoned residential, according to the county planning office.  Selling the station will relieve the fire department of having to pay for maintenance and insurance on the building, Pell said.  Money from the sale will be returned to the township.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)
 
    

---