WTHR |Veterans group has big plans for Keystone Towers

Veterans group has big plans for Keystone Towers

Indianapolis - A group called "Save our Veterans" has a new proposal for a high-rise eyesore in Indianapolis. They want to bring a 35-year-old luxury apartment building on the north side back to life.

Keystone Towers at East 45th and Allisonville has sat mostly vacant for the past decade and city inspectors ordered it closed just last year. But Victor Wakley hopes to reopen at least part of it late next spring.

"I've always seen what this building could be, not what it is," said Wakley.

Wakley, a mortgage banker, and Jerry Jacobson, a financial planner, are behind the Save our Veterans plan. They want to acquire the blighted site and renovate it in order to turn it into a first-of-its-kind veterans complex. They see it providing housing, job training and other services aimed primarily at homeless and jobless vets.

"I'm looking to be employed in the next couple of days," said Richard Hampton, who served in the Marine Corps. He said it's sometimes hard getting help.

"I've never seen nothing of this magnitude even proposed like this. It would just open doors and opportunities," he added.

The center would not only serve vets but be built and run by them

"It's vets serving vets is what it is," aid Ken Griffin, who loves the proposal. Griffin helps scores of vets each year through the Homeless Initiative program - some of whom he says have probably slept here.

"I think it's an awesome vision to have all the services in one area," said Griffin.

Wakley says they came up with the idea for a veteran's complex six months ago. It's an idea that's picked up support from the mayor's office to the Statehouse.

"If I can help a veteran, I will," said State Representative John Bartlett, who is pledging to help raise the $20 to $40 million needed to see the project through.

"We're going after every source of funding. I'm not concerned if you're a Democrat or Republican," said Bartlett.

There are many obstacles from obtaining the property to raising the money. But Wakley says he and Jacobson are committed. While not veterans themselves, they have family members who are.

"We have seen what they've gone through. We want to change that. We want to serve them now," said Wakley.

The city considers the buildings unsafe. They have a court order to go in and inspect the building next Tuesday. The city's Departments of Emergency Management, Health and Hospital and Metropolitan Development are involved in the inspection, which they will also treat as a training exercise.

Meantime, the city will begin enforcement proceedings toward the owner, a North Carolina-based company that owes $694,000 in back taxes. The property became eligible for tax sale in March. It's the first step toward getting control of the property and possibly conveying it to the new owners, Save our Vets.