City department moving into larger space

MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- Some Mishawaka city workers are excited because they will be moving. The city is paying approximately $1 million to move the Central Services Division into the Scott Brass building.

The move is expected to increase efficiency and save money on repairs to expensive equipment.

For the last 50 years, the city of Mishawaka's Central Services Division has been on a 5.8 acre lot on Cedar Street.

"This place is antiquated. It's old. It's kind of depressing. I'm sure in '63 it was more than adequate but over the years with adding onto the city, your equipment usage increases, your employee increases, and we have just flat out outgrown it,” said Tim Ryan, Assistant Street Commissioner, City of Mishawaka.

Whether inside or out, things are stacked on each other, jammed into small rooms and shoved into nooks and crannies with little rhyme or reason.

Everywhere you look, it is haphazard and cluttered.

"Cluttered is an understatement. It is a complete chaotic mess; there's just nowhere to put anything anymore,” said Ryan.

That includes large, expensive, pieces of equipment that sit out in the elements year round, which could cause breakdowns.

"Your hydraulic lines, your electric, everything that is exposed to the weather, sun, has a tendency to dry-rot,” said Ryan.

But with the money the Mishawaka City Council approved Monday night, the city will be able to purchase the vacant Scott Brass building effectively doubling their acreage and increasing their storage space so that everything can be under one roof.

It should help the city save money on repairs while making things run more efficiently.

"There you can go get it, get it done, get done what you need to get done, get it back where it belongs, everybody knows where it is,” said Ryan.

The time they save can be used on other projects for the city.

"I hope the people of Mishawaka will gain a great benefit from this. I think they will, and I know they will, said Ryan.

 

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