WINONA LAKE -The Winona Lake Plan Commission approved a rezoning request for the Sofamor Danek building, 100 Publisher Drive Tuesday.

Tom Dunn, a representative for Grace College and Seminary, made the request to rezone the 80,000-square-foot building from commercial to institutional.

Dunn said Grace College plans to make the building a new recreational building.

"Total renovations would run around $2 million," Dunn said.

He also said less traffic, less noise, fewer people and less sewage would all be benefits to the town as a result of the rezoning and renovations.

The college plans to build three basketball courts, weight lifting facilities, an indoor track and an aerobics room for students. Dunn also said the building would be used for physical education classes.

The new plans for the Sofamor Danek building raised concerns among board members for Rupe Drive.

Rupe Drive is the street/alleyway extending west between the Sofamor Danek building and the Winona Lake Fire Station. The town of Winona Lake owns the north half of the street, while Grace College owns the south half of the street. The street is currently a private street, which means anyone caught driving on the street is subject to ticketing.

Board members were concerned with additional traffic flow on Rupe Drive because of the renovations and rezoning. Public safety also was a concern of local officials. The street is narrow and used both by pedestrians and automobile traffic.

"It is a heavily used throughway," Winona Lake Fire Chief Roger Gelbaugh said at last month's town council meeting.

The town council decided last month to keep the street private for the time being. Council members did not want to encourage use of the street.

"Traffic will go down dramatically once Sofamor Danek gets out of there," Councilman David Delp said at last month's meeting.

And that's exactly what Dunn reiterated to the plan commission.

"Rupe (Drive) would remain exactly as it is," Dunn said.

He said Grace College plans to leave the street closed to the public and open to the next-door fire station.

"Rupe (Drive) is right up against the side of the building (fire station)," Dunn said.

He said the Winona Lake Fire Station uses the narrow street to transport the fire truck.

Winona Lake resident Randy Maxson was present at the meeting to voice his opinion on the plans for the building.

"I'm happy with it (Dunn's proposal)," Maxson said.

Board members unanimously approved the rezoning request and will recommend approval to the town council.

In other business, plan commission president Mike Grill told board members he felt they should invite Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson to the next meeting to discuss upgrading CR 250E.

"I've been impressed with him so far," Grill said, "in terms of his background knowledge."

Grill also said Ladson has been working with the upgrading and will continue to work with it.

In last month's meeting, Ladson and Warren Gruenewald, also from Kosciusko County Highway Department, brought upgrading plans to board members. Ladson said the plans were purely drafts and at a preliminary stage.

"What we're looking at is basically a little bit of widening and repaving," Ladson said.

"Everything is tentative," Gruenewald said. "Nothing is planned at this time."

The construction on CR 250E will be discussed at the next meeting and Ladson will continue to investigate the upgrading.

Members of the Winona Lake Plan Commission include: President Mike Grill, Randy Ruppel, Rolly Ortega, Dick Leaf and Craig Snow. [[In-content Ad]]