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Friday, March 29, 2024

Leaky roof puts RecyleForce in a bind

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Brandon Hughes says he would be back in jail if it weren’t for RecycleForce and its workforce training program. By maintaining a steady job and a source of income, program participants, like Hughes, are able to transition back into society with a low return-to-jail rate, according to RecycleForce. The company contends it saves Marion County $1.7 million each year by preventing 57 people from returning to incarceration.

Hughes started working at RecycleForce two-and-a-half years ago and says it has been integral in starting his life over and getting back on his feet.

“Without a place like this, I can tell you right now what I’d be doing — I’d be taking chances selling drugs again. There are not too many places like this in Indiana. A lot of people go on to be successful people,” said Hughes. 

RecycleForce uses the revenue generated by its recycling business to help formerly incarcerated individuals rebuild their lives by providing gainful employment and comprehensive social services. The company employs transitional workers for $9 per hour. RecycleForce said it will pay $475,000 in wages and taxes in the next year for those formerly incarcerated. RecycleForce also estimates that 80 percent of those served will not return to prison during the period of their engagement with the company.

The program is at risk though because of roof leakage at its facility located in the Circle City Industrial Complex near Mass. Ave., which is owned by Teagen Development Inc. The leak has prompted a lawsuit and an emergency relocation.

“The roof deteriorated and made it nearly impossible to operate,” said Gregg Keesling, president of RecycleForce. “We had water pour through the ceiling and go into the electrical boxes and cables.”

RecycleForce has a below-market lease in a gentrifying and developing area, and the company believes the landlord is refusing to adequately fix the roof because of these factors.

“I bought the building about two-and-a-half years ago,” said Larry Jones, president of Teagen Development Inc. “We’re up to 100 tenants. We’ve been going down the line fixing buildings.”

Jones said Teagen Development has spent $25,000 to $30,000 to repair the roof at RecycleForce.

“The lease is set up so they are responsible for all interior repairs. I know some of the issues they’ve been having is the drains, so drainage isn’t going to the proper place,” Jones said, adding that the lease is below-market compared to other businesses in the area.

Keesling said Jones was unwilling to help after water from the leaky roof damaged the warehouse’s electricity panels.

“The first meeting we had, he said, ‘This is your problem,’” Keesling said. “We ultimately had to replace all the panels. We spent $26,000 to move the panels out of the water. That was the first big safety issue. The roof continued to deteriorate, so now water comes in when it rains. All electronics have hazardous materials. We don’t know when the water is going to come through, and the lead is washing into the sanitary drains.”

A decision to stay at the current facility would risk RecycleForce’s status as an RIOS-certified electronic recycling plant, so the company plans to vacate the now-unsafe 80,000-square-foot warehouse it has occupied for the past five years. 

Keesling said he hopes to be up and running in a temporary facility by the end of the year, though the program will suffer in the meantime.

“We’re moving. We’re gone. We’ve adjusted the number of people we are going to hire. We’ve figured it out. We’re going to make this move and everyone’s going to get hurt a tiny bit, but not a lot,” he said.

When it comes time to relocate to the new permanent facility on Roosevelt Avenue, Keesling still has some kinks to work out, namely, the cost of moving the machinery.

“We do not have the funds to move twice and continue to serve those coming home from prison,” he said. “Not having enough funding … will have a ripple effect on the families and community of Indianapolis.”

When he spoke with the Recorder, Jones said he had not heard anything about RecycleForce’s plans to move. 

“To date, we have received no verbal or written notice from RecycleForce regarding their intent to vacate the premises, or terminate their lease agreement, which is valid until 2026,” said Jones.

RecycleForce has filed a lawsuit against Teagan for breach of lease, contending that the landlord’s failure to repair the roof materially interferes with RecycleForce’s ability to use the leased space — amounting to an eviction of RecycleForce. 

Jones said Teagen has been in communication with RecycleForce over the past several months regarding their lawsuit, as well as their countersuit to recover unpaid rent, utility and operational costs owed by RecycleForce. 

In the meantime, Keesling said RecycleForce is trying finding the right balance while they move.

“Do we take our business revenue and let the social side drop or screw the business side?” said Keesling. “For me, it’s the relief. We have a plan. We’re going to bend the curve on mass incarceration.”

RecyleForce in a bind

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