Neighbors of decaying Elkhart industrial site hope to see it go

ELKHART ‒ Officials are hoping to demolish one of most dilapidated industrial sites in the city. Neighbors complained about the vacant site for years, saying it poses health and safety concerns. It is the LaBour Pump Company site, located on Sterling Avenue. Its five acres and eight buildings have been vacant for several years. Dwight Fish and his neighborhood group have been keeping a close eye on it. “It's a target for vandalism, and vagrancy and drug-related problems,” said Fish. “The neighborhood has been concerned with children being injured, and the quality of life just being lowered with this blight.” “The buildings are in a deteriorated state,” said Tim Cataldo, Brownfield cleanup coordinator. “There's been a fire in one of them. Just most of them need to be torn down." And according to the city, that just may happen. No one has shown interest in buying the property in recent county tax sales, so with more than $300,000 in back taxes, the county has transferred ownership to the city. “It has been in the tax sale phase for a long time with Elkhart County,” said Mayor Dick Moore, “and we've now got the money to demolish the building and clean it up and put it into useful service.” However, the current owner could save the property by paying the taxes before April, but city officials don't think that will happen. It is the city's hope, as well as that of neighbors, that all of the buildings in the complex can come down and that something constructive can be made of the property. “The sooner we deal with this issue, the better the quality of life will be here in Elkhart, specifically the Hudson-Sterling area,” said Fish. Money from the EPA will pay for the demolition and cleanup.