Panel Narrows Site Choices For Governor's Residence

INDIANAPOLIS -- If Gov. Frank O'Bannon and his wife, Judy, move out of their current residence, it will be to a newly built home on the city's west side.

The commission that will make the decision has selected a site on Girls School Road just south of Crawfordsville Road (pictured, left) that already is owned by the state.

Commissioners chose the location over four other finalists because it had the fewest problems.

"One, the state owns the property. Two, it doesn't have to be cleared. Three, the building that exists on it isn't that big (and) could either be moved or could be left there, depending on how the plans are drawn up," commission member Jean Bepko said.

Six teams of architects will produce plans for a home on the new site, and for remodeling and expanding the current house at 46th Street and Meridian Street so that it's accessible to the disabled.

Those who live near the current residence are encouraged by Friday's decision.

"The Girls School Road property is not a terribly attractive property for consideration," neighbor Bill Oesterle said. "I think anyone familiar with that property (knows) it gets nowhere near the traffic that Meridian Street does. We're dealing with accessibility here, and from the broadest sense, that property is not as accessible as this one."

The commission will make a final decision in November.