Winona OKs $7M Development
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
WINONA LAKE - Preliminary plans for a $7 million development in the center of Winona Lake were approved Tuesday by the town's plan commission and town council.
Proposed by Winona Restora-tion Company, the development would stretch down Park Avenue from Kings Highway to Twelfth Street.
It would include the renovated hotel; a green area; an "artisan court," which would comprise artisan workshops, small retail operations and offices, and residential spaces; a boathouse and restaurant; and a residential area.
Spearheaded by Brent Wilcox-son, president of the Winona Lake Town Council and a Winona Lake developer, the "Winona Lake Assembly Grounds," will inject a $7 million investment into the town. The development is projected to begin in early 1998.
Approximately 75 people sat through almost five hours of meetings in a humid room with no air conditioning Tuesday night to air their concerns. Questions focused on the company's re-quested vacations of portions of Chestnut and Canal streets, the only rough spots in the approval process.
For example, Winona Restora-tion Company originally asked the town to vacate Canal Street south of Administration Boule-vard to slightly north of Twelfth Street. The intention was to create an artisan court in the block between Administration and Auditorium, with Canal Street becoming a pedestrian walkway. Vehicular traffic on Canal Street would be blocked.
Residents protested, however, because many find the intersection of Twelfth and Park too dangerous and use Canal Street instead.
Town councilman Harold Dunn had second thoughts on the Canal Street vacation, saying under Winona Restoration's current leadership he did not object to the town vacating its right-of-way on Canal Street.
If the day comes when Brent Wilcoxson and Dane Miller are no longer involved in the project, Dunn said, and the area declines, the town cannot take back its right-of-way if the street has been vacated.
Likewise, said Richard Helm, attorney for Winona Restoration Company, vacating the street is the only way a developer can be assured that the situation will not change in the future.
The council voted on the vacation, but the vote was not decisive. Of the five town council members, Wilcoxson withdrew temporarily as council president so he could present the plan to the council, and councilman Randy Ruppel was absent. Two council members - Dick Taylor and Edna Gamble - voted in favor of the Canal Street vacation, and Dunn abstained.
Similarly, on the section of Chestnut Street that was proposed for vacation, which was the portion northwest of First Street, Taylor and Dunn voted in favor of the vacation and Gamble ab-stained from voting.
"At this time I am reluctant to close the street without some further (traffic) count," she said.
Another issue causing concern included Winona Lake's location and the lack of a direct route into town from U.S. 30.
Wilcoxson said he thought the town's location was an advantage: "I think that people will like to get off the beaten path and come to Winona Lake."
He said the market area for tourism advertising will include Chicago, Indianapolis and De-troit, and projected approximately 30,000 to 50,000 visitors per year in the peak tourist season between April and October.
In other business, the council agreed to move the recycling bins to the former Helser's Metal Finishing property on the Fourth Street extension behind an existing insurance agency.
The council also expressed concern over what it called a "significant sewer inflow" after a heavy rain. Wilcoxson said last year the town's monthly bill for sewage treatment was between $11,000 and $12,000; this year it is $24,000.
Town engineer Larry Long will be asked by the council's next meeting to submit recommendations on tracking the sewer inflow and suspected problems.
Park board president Chris Boyd asked the council if it still plans to pursue the Quonset hut as the next town hall. Wilcoxson said yes, and they are waiting for a preliminary estimate of the renovation costs.
The town council will meet next at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 26 in the community building. [[In-content Ad]]
WINONA LAKE - Preliminary plans for a $7 million development in the center of Winona Lake were approved Tuesday by the town's plan commission and town council.
Proposed by Winona Restora-tion Company, the development would stretch down Park Avenue from Kings Highway to Twelfth Street.
It would include the renovated hotel; a green area; an "artisan court," which would comprise artisan workshops, small retail operations and offices, and residential spaces; a boathouse and restaurant; and a residential area.
Spearheaded by Brent Wilcox-son, president of the Winona Lake Town Council and a Winona Lake developer, the "Winona Lake Assembly Grounds," will inject a $7 million investment into the town. The development is projected to begin in early 1998.
Approximately 75 people sat through almost five hours of meetings in a humid room with no air conditioning Tuesday night to air their concerns. Questions focused on the company's re-quested vacations of portions of Chestnut and Canal streets, the only rough spots in the approval process.
For example, Winona Restora-tion Company originally asked the town to vacate Canal Street south of Administration Boule-vard to slightly north of Twelfth Street. The intention was to create an artisan court in the block between Administration and Auditorium, with Canal Street becoming a pedestrian walkway. Vehicular traffic on Canal Street would be blocked.
Residents protested, however, because many find the intersection of Twelfth and Park too dangerous and use Canal Street instead.
Town councilman Harold Dunn had second thoughts on the Canal Street vacation, saying under Winona Restoration's current leadership he did not object to the town vacating its right-of-way on Canal Street.
If the day comes when Brent Wilcoxson and Dane Miller are no longer involved in the project, Dunn said, and the area declines, the town cannot take back its right-of-way if the street has been vacated.
Likewise, said Richard Helm, attorney for Winona Restoration Company, vacating the street is the only way a developer can be assured that the situation will not change in the future.
The council voted on the vacation, but the vote was not decisive. Of the five town council members, Wilcoxson withdrew temporarily as council president so he could present the plan to the council, and councilman Randy Ruppel was absent. Two council members - Dick Taylor and Edna Gamble - voted in favor of the Canal Street vacation, and Dunn abstained.
Similarly, on the section of Chestnut Street that was proposed for vacation, which was the portion northwest of First Street, Taylor and Dunn voted in favor of the vacation and Gamble ab-stained from voting.
"At this time I am reluctant to close the street without some further (traffic) count," she said.
Another issue causing concern included Winona Lake's location and the lack of a direct route into town from U.S. 30.
Wilcoxson said he thought the town's location was an advantage: "I think that people will like to get off the beaten path and come to Winona Lake."
He said the market area for tourism advertising will include Chicago, Indianapolis and De-troit, and projected approximately 30,000 to 50,000 visitors per year in the peak tourist season between April and October.
In other business, the council agreed to move the recycling bins to the former Helser's Metal Finishing property on the Fourth Street extension behind an existing insurance agency.
The council also expressed concern over what it called a "significant sewer inflow" after a heavy rain. Wilcoxson said last year the town's monthly bill for sewage treatment was between $11,000 and $12,000; this year it is $24,000.
Town engineer Larry Long will be asked by the council's next meeting to submit recommendations on tracking the sewer inflow and suspected problems.
Park board president Chris Boyd asked the council if it still plans to pursue the Quonset hut as the next town hall. Wilcoxson said yes, and they are waiting for a preliminary estimate of the renovation costs.
The town council will meet next at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 26 in the community building. [[In-content Ad]]