Builders Seek New Home Show Location
March 17, 2018 at 1:28 a.m.
Builders Seek New Home Show Location
By Dan [email protected]
And after three years at the Detroit Street Complex in Warsaw, Rhoades, who co-chairs the planning efforts for the Builders Association of Kosciusko and Fulton Counties, says the hunt is on again.
Rhoades said the association was recently informed by the owner of the Detroit Street Complex that the 20,000 square feet of space will not be available next year.
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A steady stream of visitors was arriving during the Friday noon hour for a chance to check out an estimated 100 booths that sold out faster than ever, according to Rhoades.
But a future home for the show has been on Rhoades’ mind for weeks.
The Builders Association relies heavily on the home show to finance its annual operation, and more vendors means more revenue.
Rhoades said they have not begun looking for a new facility yet and that it’s difficult to find something that has enough floor space and parking.
“I?need about 25,000-26,000 square feet and about 200 parking spaces,” Rhodes said. “I?can find one, but I?can’t find both.”
The need to find a new location brings up a renewed concern for Rhoades – the lack of large event space in Kosciusko County.
“This county desperately needs an event center that can be used year after year after year,” Rhoades said.
“It’s one of my pet peeves, I?guess, that we don’t really have a facility with a large enough square footage,” he said.
In past years, they’ve used the old Lakeview Middle School and the old Owen’s property on Center Street that is now home to JB’s Furniture. One year, they held it at an old factory building in Atwood, but that soured on the final day when rains turned the grass parking area into a muddy, soggy mess.
The best experience was when they were able to rent the old Walmart on U.S. 30 where Big R currently resides. There, they had almost 200 vendors and saw nearly 10,000 visitors.
“That tells me what this area is capable of if we get the right stuff together,” Rhodes said.
Rob Parker, executive director of the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, said he hears talk of the need for a large event space all the time.
He said the community has plenty of good small- and medium-size event spaces, and said he thinks there is enough business activity to warrant a big facility.
Parker said he likes what happened in LaGrange County, where the county and others worked together to finance The MEC, a large facility that has become an event center.
But finding a facility that can accommodate big events with smaller activities and make it successful is a challenge.
One spot that comes to mind is the vacant Marsh Supermarket on South Buffalo Street in downtown Warsaw.
Parker said the property is owned by a real estate investment firm and their price for the property – $6 per square foot – makes it too expensive to buy and renovate.
Another option is the Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center in Winona Lake.
Rhodes said that facility lacks enough exhibit space and that there are limits to what can be placed on the floor, which doubles as Grace College’s basketball court.
Rhoades will be looking at all options.
With that in mind, he said the fact the builders association has a working relationship with folks in Fulton County is not lost on him.
“I’m not afraid to say that if Rochester had a good facility, we’d take it to Rochester,” he said.
The Home and Outdoor Show kicked continues through Sunday.
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And after three years at the Detroit Street Complex in Warsaw, Rhoades, who co-chairs the planning efforts for the Builders Association of Kosciusko and Fulton Counties, says the hunt is on again.
Rhoades said the association was recently informed by the owner of the Detroit Street Complex that the 20,000 square feet of space will not be available next year.
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A steady stream of visitors was arriving during the Friday noon hour for a chance to check out an estimated 100 booths that sold out faster than ever, according to Rhoades.
But a future home for the show has been on Rhoades’ mind for weeks.
The Builders Association relies heavily on the home show to finance its annual operation, and more vendors means more revenue.
Rhoades said they have not begun looking for a new facility yet and that it’s difficult to find something that has enough floor space and parking.
“I?need about 25,000-26,000 square feet and about 200 parking spaces,” Rhodes said. “I?can find one, but I?can’t find both.”
The need to find a new location brings up a renewed concern for Rhoades – the lack of large event space in Kosciusko County.
“This county desperately needs an event center that can be used year after year after year,” Rhoades said.
“It’s one of my pet peeves, I?guess, that we don’t really have a facility with a large enough square footage,” he said.
In past years, they’ve used the old Lakeview Middle School and the old Owen’s property on Center Street that is now home to JB’s Furniture. One year, they held it at an old factory building in Atwood, but that soured on the final day when rains turned the grass parking area into a muddy, soggy mess.
The best experience was when they were able to rent the old Walmart on U.S. 30 where Big R currently resides. There, they had almost 200 vendors and saw nearly 10,000 visitors.
“That tells me what this area is capable of if we get the right stuff together,” Rhodes said.
Rob Parker, executive director of the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, said he hears talk of the need for a large event space all the time.
He said the community has plenty of good small- and medium-size event spaces, and said he thinks there is enough business activity to warrant a big facility.
Parker said he likes what happened in LaGrange County, where the county and others worked together to finance The MEC, a large facility that has become an event center.
But finding a facility that can accommodate big events with smaller activities and make it successful is a challenge.
One spot that comes to mind is the vacant Marsh Supermarket on South Buffalo Street in downtown Warsaw.
Parker said the property is owned by a real estate investment firm and their price for the property – $6 per square foot – makes it too expensive to buy and renovate.
Another option is the Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center in Winona Lake.
Rhodes said that facility lacks enough exhibit space and that there are limits to what can be placed on the floor, which doubles as Grace College’s basketball court.
Rhoades will be looking at all options.
With that in mind, he said the fact the builders association has a working relationship with folks in Fulton County is not lost on him.
“I’m not afraid to say that if Rochester had a good facility, we’d take it to Rochester,” he said.
The Home and Outdoor Show kicked continues through Sunday.
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