Redevelopment Hears Of Upcoming Big NIPSCO Project
November 10, 2020 at 2:28 a.m.
By David [email protected]
Monday, City Planner Jeremy Skinner brought a request before the Redevelopment Commission for NIPSCO to temporarily use one of the Commission’s easements to store those poles while the project is taking place.
The easement is the former location of a gas station along North Detroit Street by Central Park and the Biblical Gardens.
“They kind of wanted the easement to start Dec. 1 and be terminated on May 31. The point of the easement – it’s a temporary easement – NIPSCO has a rather large utility project, replacing poles and line, that’s going to be running through downtown, and including through Central Park, and part of that project, they’ll need an area to – what they call ‘lay down poles’ – where they’ll store poles while they’re doing their construction,” Skinner explained.
The Redevelopment Commission acquired the old gas station property in 2019 and it was torn down this year.
Besides the Dec. 1 to May 31 dates, Skinner said NIPSCO asked for a second time frame to occur later in the fall.
“At this point, we’re only willing to commit to that Dec. 1 to May 31, but there may be another request coming at you after May for some additional timeframe, if we’re not doing anything with that property,” Skinner said.
NIPSCO requested there not be a cost, but was willing to pay up to $500 a month to use the easement.
Skinner said if the Commission asked him, he was leaning toward letting them use the easement temporarily without a cost.
“I would rather have our good faith in our back pocket for when we need something from NIPSCO, because whatever we need from NIPSCO is probably going to cost more than $3,000 at some point in time,” he said.
Redevelopment President Tim Meyer asked if the underground storage tanks were removed from the property. Skinner said that was done through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Redevelopment member Mike Klondaris asked how many poles would be involved.
“There’s quite a few. Basically, they’re running from all the way north of Warsaw, through Warsaw and then south and somewhat I think east. Up to RR Donnelly and south. So it’s quite a run,” Skinner said.
The easement in question will not be the only location where NIPSCO will store the poles, he said. Other storage sites will be out in the county.
“The reason I ask is, that North Detroit Street is a heavily trafficked street. I was thinking about safety, if you’ve got a lot of traffic, trucks and long poles, and is that going to ... create situations,” Klondaris said.
Meyer was concerned the poles being stored there would block the view of anyone coming off Canal Street onto Detroit Street. “We don’t want to impede the driver’s sight from pulling out into traffic,” he said.
Skinner said they were absolutely right about that.
“I think what makes this an ideal location is, all the poles that are being replaced are going to be on 15. There’s going to be lane restrictions on 15 as they replace these poles, and they’ll run through Center Park and up through Center Street. The reason I think they like this site is because that’s where a lot of poles will be replaced,” Skinner said.
He said they’ll have a conversation with NIPSCO.
“Like I said, I do agree, Mike, it’s going to be a mess, but quite frankly they’re going to have lanes shut down. The project is going to be a project like any other construction project. You’re going to want to avoid that area while they’re replacing the poles. There will be lane restrictions and so forth, but the project needs to happen,” Skinner said.
Member Rick Snodgrass asked if NIPSCO was going to assume liability for all the poles being stored on the site. Skinner said NIPSCO would.
Snodgrass made a motion to allow NIPSCO to use the easement without payment and the motion was unanimously approved.
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Monday, City Planner Jeremy Skinner brought a request before the Redevelopment Commission for NIPSCO to temporarily use one of the Commission’s easements to store those poles while the project is taking place.
The easement is the former location of a gas station along North Detroit Street by Central Park and the Biblical Gardens.
“They kind of wanted the easement to start Dec. 1 and be terminated on May 31. The point of the easement – it’s a temporary easement – NIPSCO has a rather large utility project, replacing poles and line, that’s going to be running through downtown, and including through Central Park, and part of that project, they’ll need an area to – what they call ‘lay down poles’ – where they’ll store poles while they’re doing their construction,” Skinner explained.
The Redevelopment Commission acquired the old gas station property in 2019 and it was torn down this year.
Besides the Dec. 1 to May 31 dates, Skinner said NIPSCO asked for a second time frame to occur later in the fall.
“At this point, we’re only willing to commit to that Dec. 1 to May 31, but there may be another request coming at you after May for some additional timeframe, if we’re not doing anything with that property,” Skinner said.
NIPSCO requested there not be a cost, but was willing to pay up to $500 a month to use the easement.
Skinner said if the Commission asked him, he was leaning toward letting them use the easement temporarily without a cost.
“I would rather have our good faith in our back pocket for when we need something from NIPSCO, because whatever we need from NIPSCO is probably going to cost more than $3,000 at some point in time,” he said.
Redevelopment President Tim Meyer asked if the underground storage tanks were removed from the property. Skinner said that was done through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Redevelopment member Mike Klondaris asked how many poles would be involved.
“There’s quite a few. Basically, they’re running from all the way north of Warsaw, through Warsaw and then south and somewhat I think east. Up to RR Donnelly and south. So it’s quite a run,” Skinner said.
The easement in question will not be the only location where NIPSCO will store the poles, he said. Other storage sites will be out in the county.
“The reason I ask is, that North Detroit Street is a heavily trafficked street. I was thinking about safety, if you’ve got a lot of traffic, trucks and long poles, and is that going to ... create situations,” Klondaris said.
Meyer was concerned the poles being stored there would block the view of anyone coming off Canal Street onto Detroit Street. “We don’t want to impede the driver’s sight from pulling out into traffic,” he said.
Skinner said they were absolutely right about that.
“I think what makes this an ideal location is, all the poles that are being replaced are going to be on 15. There’s going to be lane restrictions on 15 as they replace these poles, and they’ll run through Center Park and up through Center Street. The reason I think they like this site is because that’s where a lot of poles will be replaced,” Skinner said.
He said they’ll have a conversation with NIPSCO.
“Like I said, I do agree, Mike, it’s going to be a mess, but quite frankly they’re going to have lanes shut down. The project is going to be a project like any other construction project. You’re going to want to avoid that area while they’re replacing the poles. There will be lane restrictions and so forth, but the project needs to happen,” Skinner said.
Member Rick Snodgrass asked if NIPSCO was going to assume liability for all the poles being stored on the site. Skinner said NIPSCO would.
Snodgrass made a motion to allow NIPSCO to use the easement without payment and the motion was unanimously approved.
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