Less than a week after giving preliminary approval for rezoning to allow a new major department store to locate in Portage, the City Council gave its final blessing Monday.
After hearing a presentation on the project last week, the council rapidly approved rezoning the 84.29-acre parcel at U.S. 6 and Airport Road. The entire parcel, previously zoned R1 for low-density residential development, is now rezoned in two sections. The northern half is now zoned for small and medium commercial businesses with the southern half zoned for multifamily housing.
Dave Westland, a Hammond attorney representing Simon CRE, told the council last week that an unnamed national department store would anchor the project. He couldn’t say who that anchor would be, but at last month’s Plan Commission meeting, member Sam Laboy said he heard Target was in negotiations for the site.
The Landing at Portage, the new commercial development, would have 330,000 square feet of commercial development, an investment of $75 million to $100 million, Westland said.
He showed a map of Simon CRE properties to the council last week, with red pins scattered far and wide to show the nearly 300 properties developed to date.
Simon is focusing on the commercial half of the property while working to choose a residential developer for the southern half of the parcel. Among the residential developers being considered are some who already have experience building in Portage, Westland said.
At Monday’s meeting, the council approved a $340,000 out-of-court settlement with Michael Vietti to acquire a right of way for the Central Avenue realignment. The city has already paid $285,000 toward the amount determined by a mediator, attorney Scott McClure said.
The council also gratefully approved a $50,000 contribution from the Portage Township trustee’s office to be used for parks.
Mayor Austin Bonta announced some changes are coming to the legal department, among other restructuring in the city. Last Thursday, wastewater treatment plant superintendent Tracie Marshall was named general superintendent for the utilities department. Previously, the treatment plant and field forces – the people who deal with the lift stations and sewer lines outside the plant – were separate departments.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
