Abandoned Old Town property a hot bed for illegal activities

For Colton Peterson, home is a place where he says, “welcome to hell.” It isn’t issues inside his home that have been causing him troubles, it’s the environment directly out the door.

Peterson, a resident of Old Town, lives less than 100 yards from the now abandoned apartment building at 729 West Center. In the year that Peterson has lived next to the property, he has had his life threatened, car broken into,and witnessed countless other illegal acts.

It is estimated that he’s made 100-130 calls to local police in the year he has lived there.

The property is laced with broken glass, drug paraphernalia and various empty containers of alcoholic beverages.

But the problem doesn’t stop at the property line. Everyday Peterson must walk his yard to make sure that his girlfriend’s son and puppy don’t get exposed to any of these objects.

While walking outside the property this afternoon, the three-year-old came within five feet from a used syringe, something he said he is constantly having to keep an eye open for.

Suffering from PTSD, Peterson has a service dog, which he tells me has nearly been stolen from his property by people who frequent this “eyesore.”

One of the main issues with the property is that it is actually still under ownership. Terrawood Holdings, LLC., A California based company controls the structure, which has fallen into disrepair. Unfortunately, it is because of this that the property receives the same constitutional protection as a normal home, limiting the efforts of local law enforcement.

Formerly the Riverview Hotel, it is now a place where fights, drug use and trespassing are a daily occurrence.

Peterson fears that it’ll take something serious to happen before real action is taken on the property. He fears that there could be sick or possibly even dead people inside.

Peterson has reached out to just about everyone can, including the Mayor, still he hasn’t seen any real progression, though he the is thankful for the patrol officers who frequently come and check out the property, including three times last night alone.

The main objective for Peterson and his girlfriend is to have the property leveled to make way for something more community friendly, such as a park or garden.