Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Zimmer has purchased the former Lake Theatre building in Warsaw, according to Brad Bishop, the company's public affairs officer.
Zimmer, now the largest orthopedic company in the world, plans to convert the building to housing for visiting surgeon faculty and other surgeons taking training courses at Zimmer Institute.
The institute is in the company's headquarters on Main Street in Warsaw, one block away from the Lake Theatre building.
"Still finalizing our plans and don't know the cost, exact design or exactly how many units we will have," Bishop said.
"We do plan to work with the exisiting structure and will renovate and refurbish the existing building rather than raze it and starting over."
Scearce Rudisel Architects Inc. has been contracted to redesign the structure, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
"We hope to start construction in late spring or early summer and occupy the buildng by end of 2006," Bishop said.
Although the building will offer residential units to Zimmer employees and other guests, the company will continue to lease lodging.
"We rent thousands of hotel rooms a year. With the Lake Theatre, we'll have the ability to control some of that in our own system. But we'll continue to rent thousands of hotel rooms a year," Bishop said.
On the Net:
www.zimmer.com
