Vigo County opens bids for IP building removal

Howard Greninger, The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.
·2 min read

Feb. 21—Vigo County Commissioners on Tuesday opened seven bids to remove a dilapidated former International Paper shipping/warehouse building.

The building is located on property the county leases to the outdoor music venue The Mill.

Bids submitted were:

* Frey's Drainage and Excavating of Farmersburg, $420,000.

* McGuire Excavating & Trucking, $82,500.

* S&G Excavating, $170,000; alternate bid of $117,500.

* Dennis Trucking Co., $145,900.

* Collom Excavating LLC of Rosedale, $166,000.

* Bell & Bell Demolition of Paris, Ill., $80,000.

* Rigney Construction of Brazil, $356,000.

Commissioners took the bids under advisement for a legal review, and Commissioner Chris Switzer said the board will also research the possibility of obtaining a grant to help remove the building.

The shipping/warehouse building once was part of International Paper, which shut down its Terre Haute mill in 2007.

Vigo County purchased 65 acres of the former paper property at 2401 Prairieton Road in December 2016 for $600,000 from Powerdyne Terre Haute Holdings LLC after a failed project to convert sewage into biodiesel.

Trail grant application

In other business, commissioners are applying for a $400,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for work on the new Riley Spur trail. The grant will be submitted by March 1. Commissioner President Mike Morris said the trail project has been divided into three development phases.

Last year, the Vigo County Council voted to support the nearly 6-mile new Riley Spur trail, approving $390,000 to purchase a railroad easement and remove railroad ties.

The entire project, to covert the former rail spur abandoned by Indiana Railroad Company into a public trail from Riley to Idle Creek subdivision, last year was projected to cost $1,326,640.

Howard Greninger can be reached at 812-231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com. Follow on Twitter @TribStarHoward.