The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-19
PROPOSED new
DETENTION SITE
is RULED UNFIT
Not Fireproof, Feeney Says;
Board Offers $4,000
for Building.

So anxious are the outgoing Mar
ion County Commissioners to obtain
q new Juvenile Detention Home
for the county before the year ex-
pires that they are Offering to pay
$4,000. with the necessity OF then
spending $4,000 more for repairs,
for property carried on the Center
Township Assessors books at a to-
tai value Of $50 $50.
This situation was revealed today
as the commissioners prepared TO
draft an ordinance authorizing the
purchase Of the property, the Celeste
Apartments. 402 z. New York-st
The assessed value of the site Of
the apartments Is S16.260; of the
building itself. $4,000. The $50, =
$50 total is ST, 450 less than the
proposed purchase price of S57 ,000
Critics of the proposed purchase
and they have become both nu
merous and yociferous during the
last viewpoint out that. with the
present depressed condition of the
real estate market, it is doubtful
that the assessed value could be
realeized IN open sale.
Opposed by Geckler
With Juvenile Judge John F.
Geckler already on record as OPP
posing any "makeshift" home, badly
as new home and Juvenile Court
quarters are needed, a further OBJ
stacle appeared in the way of the
purchase yesterday when it became
known that Al G. Feeney. in his
capacity as State Fire Marshal, had
ruled that the building was unfit
Tor such an institution.
Mr.. Feeney sent notice of his
ruling to John Mann, commission
ers' president, in october after the
building had been inspected Oct. ID
at the request of several interested
citizens groups. Indiana law re-
ouires that the State Fire Marshal
must approve all public institutional
buildings more than one story tall
used for voluntary or forced detaln-
ment Of inmates.
Our reason (for disapprovaD is
that it is not of flreprOof construc-
ton and is three stories in height
Mr.. Feeney wrote to Commissioner
Mann. Mr.. Feeney also disapproved
buildings at $50 w. New York-st and
on the northeast corner Of Ohio and
New Jersey-sts, both of which were
also under consideration.
Mr.. Feeneys ruling and Judge
Geckler's expressed opinion seemed,
however, not to disturb Mr.. Mann
and his fellow commissioners, one OF
whom. Ernest Marker, retires Jan. l.
Mr.. Mann said that the commits
sioners hoped to draft an ordinance
in the immediate future and that
he expected a special meeting of the
County Council would be called
within 10 days.
Council to Delay Action
Albert Deluse. Council President,
said he had not been informed OF
such plans and added that he
doubted that Council would consider
the proposition before next year.
Juvenile Judge Geckler's objec-
tions to the proposed building are
based partially on his belief that
its entire center would have to be
ripped out to make it suitable for
the homes purposes. He said also
that any new building would have
to be fireproof, have provisions for
a maximum of 100 children and
have $1,000 feet of floor space for
Juvenile Court and Judge Geckler's
offices.
The Judge. Mrs. Anna Pickard,
Detention Home Superintendent,
and civic groups interested in
juvenile welfare all are agreed that
new quarters are needed. Mrs.
Pickard has not inspected the pro-
posed site and some of the civic
groups are known to feel that it is
not desirable.
The owners of the property are
listed as John F. and Celeste Barn
hill