Pest ridden bar leveled to make way for Muncie Crisis Center

David Penticuff, Muncie Star Press

MUNCIE, Ind. − The planned Muncie Crisis Center will be in a new building on top of where a bar stood.

Last week Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour said parts of the former Workman's Bar were "unsalvageable" due to termite damage but that remodel work would start on Wednesday, Jan. 17. On Thursday the structure was demolished to the ground.

Ridenour clarified by saying that the new structure was just keeping the foundation of the bar to be used with what will be a new building.

The former Workman's Bar was razed Thursday morning to make way for a Muncie Crisis Center. The city paid $125,000 for the old Tavern. After the purchase it was then discovered termites had damaged the building. Last week Mayor Dan Ridenour said some parts of the structure were "unsalvageable." Apparently, none of the building was saved. Cost of work toward a new building was estimated at $688,000.

Fredricks Contractors in Pendleton was selected to do the construction work at a cost of $688,000. Ridenour said there was just a difference of $10,00 to $15,000 between keeping the salvageable part of the bar and doing away with the entire above ground structure. It made more sense, he said, to have a new structure.

More: Muncie Crisis Center remodel set to start next week

The building was knocked down by mid-day Thursday.

Muncie purchased the former bar for $125,000 in March 2023. When asked if the city had a pest inspection performed on the building prior to the purchase, Ridenour replied that the city was aware it had a termite problem at the site.

"The location was the thing we wanted," the mayor said. The site is located at 809 W. Eighth St. on the south side of the city.

More: Termites slow crisis center renovation as police develop social worker position

In October Ridenour said renovation work on the bar was stalled after termites were found in an exterior wall and in another wall, with the insects doing damage to some joists in the building.

The city is paying for the structure with American Rescue Plan money given to communities by the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Muncie government is providing the building and IU Health Ball Memorial hospital will staff the facility 24-hours-seven-days a week with 14 social workers providing help and guidance for people in crisis, suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness and other struggles.

More: Crisis center to confront addictions, mental stress cases in Muncie community

Initially the center will take referrals from local police before broadening access to the public. Ridenour said construction is expected to take up to eight months.

David Penticuff is a reporter with The Star Press. He can be contacted at dpenticuff@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ridenour says city wanted location and knew of termite trouble at site

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