Grant County redevelopment commission discusses acquisition steps, brownfield concerns for former Dana site

Grant County Redevelopment Commission members discussed options for acquiring and disposing of the former Dana site at 41 South Branson Street and related properties during the Aug. 4 regular meeting.

Commission members and staff reviewed how tax‑sale and redevelopment procedures interact and emphasized environmental and appraisal requirements before any transfer of ownership. Staff said the county commissioners previously pulled the Dana site from a tax sale and that the commissioners could assign the tax certificate to the redevelopment commission if the county chooses to do so. The commission will receive written procedures in advance of the next meeting, staff said.

Why it matters: the property is large, has unpaid taxes, and sits near existing neighborhoods and infrastructure; any acquisition could require environmental review, formal appraisals and a public disposition process.

Staff described the acquisition path the commission would likely follow under state tax‑sale rules and redevelopment statutes: once the county assigns the tax certificate, the redevelopment commission must follow notification procedures and other statutory steps to acquire the site. Staff said the county commissioners are required under the applicable Indiana code to sell certain properties at an average of two appraisals, whereas the redevelopment commission may obtain appraisals and then negotiate a price without averaging them. Staff said it will provide a written memo explaining the timelines and specific statutes involved.

Commissioners raised environmental questions. One member said a phase‑1 assessment had at some point been on a staff member’s desk; staff acknowledged a phase‑1 had been completed previously but did not provide details at the meeting. Staff recommended that any request for proposals for the site include explicit Brownfield and remediation considerations so potential developers address contamination and reuse needs.

Discussion also touched on related properties. Staff said 415 South Branson Street is a building that commissioners have flagged as strategically important for future county building projects, and that other out‑of‑state owners had been purchasing properties and leaving code violations unaddressed. Members discussed neighborhood involvement — including Lincoln Park — and said they would coordinate with the city of Marion, which staff said has expressed interest in collaborating on the Dana site.

Staff and commissioners asked members to consider potential reuses and submit feedback before the next meeting. Staff committed to delivering a written description of the acquisition and disposition process and a timeline for the commission’s review.

Ending: Staff will circulate the written procedures and timelines before the next meeting; commissioners and city representatives will continue coordination on reuse options for the Dana site and related properties.