The Arnolt Building has been ordered demolished by the Warsaw Code Enforcement Officer.

The former Arnolt Corporation building at 2525 E. Durbin St., Warsaw, was ordered to be immediately vacated, sealed and demolished at Monday’s Warsaw Code Enforcement Hearing. Larry Clifford, hearing officer, made his ruling after numerous photos were submitted as evidence on the building’s condition.

The building is approximately 66,000 square feet, and formerly used for manufacturing.

“I also want every dime available to the receivership to be used to seal the building,” Clifford told James L. Walmer, who has been appointed receiver by Kosciusko Superior Court I. Walmer stated there was $7,000 to $8,000 still available to use towards the building.

The main tenant of the building — Our Father’s House — has been given until July 10, by the courts, to remove all items from the building. The other tenant, Vern Zartman, was advised last Friday to find another location. Our Father’s House has reportedly been using the facility for storage.

Walmer asked Clifford and Todd Slabaugh, building commissioner, to give him exact locations needing sealed. “Any opening,” Clifford and Slabaugh told him. “I saw a half dozen ways a 6-year-old could get in. A key to the front door doesn’t mean a … thing,” stated Clifford. Slabugh further stated there were broken out windows, any where there was a door that moved or where items were stacked up to a window to get in.

(Photo by Warsaw Fire Department)

Notice of the order to demolish was sent to Walmer on May 26, after the Warsaw Police Department and Warsaw-Wayne Fire Department alerted the city of unsafe conditions following an inspection of the building. At that time it was found the building was vacant and unsecured/unsafe, portions of the roof were missing, no utilities and no sprinkler system, numerous one-pot meth manufacturing items and discarded precursors discovered, there was chemical contamination from previous manufacturing as well as illegal drug manufacturing, and a large accumulation of household items and junk, along with foodstuff, causing a fire hazard.

During the hearing, Walmer gave a history of the property since going into receivership. He also stated Our Father’s House has not paid rental fees for a number of years. Zartman, who was renting 750 square feet, has been paying $65 a month. It is estimated Our Father’s House owes $65,000 in back rent.

A leaking roof has been evident since 2006 when an estimate of $220,000 was received, but nothing done. Walmer noted potential ground contamination in several areas. While funds available were used to pay a realtor to market the property, Roz Morgan, with Our Father’s House, has been reportedly providing security and mowing the grass.

Walmer stated he was notified, near Memorial Day by Warsaw Police, of finding meth being manufactured in the building. The building was shut down by the county board of health until meth residue testing could be completed. The testing done, the results were below the Indiana Department of Environmental Management approved level.

Warsaw Fire Marshal Joe Fretz presented interior photographs recently taken at the site. The photos showed broken out skylights, a collapsed roof, a section of a garage type door pried open, missing sections of roof, meth trash and what Clifford and others called “trash” throughout two-thirds of the building. Nothing of value was noted in the building, with Slabaugh stating it was all “broken down pieces of junk. Stuff people couldn’t sell at garage sales. It’s a junk yard.” Also of great concern was a crack in an exterior brick wall that is now leaning towards the city street, indicating potential structural damage.

Items overflow from the loading dock area

Warsaw-Wayne Fire Chief Mike Brubaker stated there is a standing order should there be a fire no firefighter is to enter the building or get on the roof.

While Walmer stated he was told “no one ever stayed there,” photographs from the fire department showed evidence of persons having stayed in the building.

Mike Valentine, city attorney, bluntly asked Walmer “What have you been doing since taking receivership? …. Have you ever looked in that building?” Walmer stated he had seen it on several occasions but is now far worse than when he last saw it.

It was noted the last estimate to demolish the building, received by Walmer, was in 2006. The cost was $177,000. It is estimated it will cost close to $200,000 to demolish the building. To rehabilitate the building would cost $500,000 minimum, excluding any environmental concerns.

Walmer asked in a suggestion, if there was any help the city could provide. “We don’t want any part of it,” stated Valentine.

“I wish we were talking a couple months ago,” said Walmer, noting someone had been talking to Morgan, but not to the receiver. “Don’t go putting that on us,” said Valentine.

A $5,000 civil penalty has also been imposed.