Meeting held to discuss the future of the Portage Manor

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The St. Joseph County Commission held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of selling the 125-year-old Portage Manor.

The commissioners cycled through the future benefits available with either holding onto the assisted living facility or selling it to a private developer. One claim described how parts of the manor are in a state of disrepair.

Several county residents attended the meeting to convince the commissioners to not sell the property.

“My brother Mike is a resident at Portage Manor and it has saved his life. If it wasn’t for Portage Manor, he would not be here right now,” one St. Joseph County resident said.

“If nothing else, I would think the commissioners should be looking at how to enhance and increase, but definitely hold on to this building. It is a jewel,” another St. Joseph County resident said.

The meeting ended with the commissioners deciding to table the idea of selling the manor for now.

“I think it’s important that we look at how we better serve the residents who live there, but that building is in disrepair. It has certain segments that we had to do special engagement to bring funding in because parts of the building were literally falling apart that we needed to address. So, we’re trying to see what makes the most sense and what does Portage Manor look like not just this year, but in ten or twenty years from now,” said Andy Kostielney, District 1 County Commissioner.

Other commissioners agreed that they are against the sale and would prefer to see the historic manor remain in service to the vulnerable and disabled residents who live there.