La Porte board approves emergency demolition of fire‑damaged house near Hanley School

The City of La Porte Board of Public Works and Safety voted Feb. 18 to take emergency enforcement action to demolish a fire‑damaged house at 508 West 11th Street and to pursue recovery of demolition costs from the property’s owner. Chief Snyder described the structure as uninhabitable and a safety risk after a Labor Day 2024 fire, and staff said the building sits adjacent to Hanley School.

Mayor Dermody and city attorney staff framed the vote as urgent because the property has been vacant and unsecured for about 18 months. “It is a danger… people can get in there,” Attorney Otis said, and he asked the board to act under Indiana Code 36‑7‑9‑9 to perform the demolition and recoup the expense (SEG 1014–1036). Chief Snyder said city staff had repeatedly asked the mortgage company and its third‑party agent to remove the structure but had received no firm timeline (SEG 1000–1013).

The motion, amended on the floor to specify emergency enforcement action, passed on a unanimous voice vote. City officials said the demolition will be contracted out and paid up front by the city, with the city seeking reimbursement from the mortgage company or through legal channels afterward. Attorney Otis said the emergency declaration allows the city to avoid a public bid process for the immediate demolition because the anticipated cost will not meet the bidding threshold and the statute authorizes passing the cost to the property owner (SEG 1061–1071; SEG 1352–1361).

Officials did not provide a firm demolition contractor or an exact timeline for when crews would be on site; Chief Snyder said the city will solicit quotes from multiple demolition providers and try to limit the city’s unbudgeted exposure by asking the mortgage company to pay directly if possible (SEG 1062–1070; SEG 1090–1096). Mayor Dermody and others described the condition of the house as an eyesore and a danger to nearby residents and students (SEG 1016–1024).

Next steps: staff will arrange demolition work and pursue legal avenues to recover costs from the mortgage company; the board did not set a specific completion date in the meeting. The matter will return to the board if NIPSCO or other parties propose edits to related easement documents or if legal steps to recover costs require additional approvals.