The Bicknell city council is discussing ideas of what to do with the old Casey’s gas station located in Bicknell. The city acquired it from Casey’s in the spring of 2012 and have yet to do anything with the building as it sits empty. There are two restrictions on the building. One from the state of Indiana and another from the Casey’s gas station company. The state of Indiana’s restriction is that the building cannot be turned into a daycare or senior center because of the underground gas pipes that were in the ground for years at the property. Casey’s has set a restriction that the new owner cannot sell food or gas at the location for another 11 years because of competition with the new Casey’s on Main street. These restrictions stay with the property no matter who it is sold to. In the future, the Bicknell city council will decide whether to sell or give it to a non profit organization for use or auction the building off to the highest bidder.
Bicknell is moving forward with their demolition of the city’s blighted properties. The first house at 815 Main street is set to be demolished on Wednesday. Bicknell city attorney Michael Edwards states this will be the first of many deserted homes to be torn down.
Contracted inspectors will be at the demolition with a checklist to make sure things go smoothly. After the razing is complete, they will write up a report. Once the city has seen the report, they are allowed to proceed with the second property as long as everything went OK with the first. Edwards says the plan is for all of the blighted properties to be torn down by late summer.