VALPARAISO -- A city industry that’s added on seven times since locating here in 1987 plans to build more space and add six more jobs.
UGN Inc. also wants to start preliminary groundwork this week and open in March 2015.
Representatives from UGN presented plans for a 17,748-square-foot storage facility at 2252 Industrial Drive with 10,000 square feet of asphalt parking.
“We like the area, and we’ll keep growing here,” Project Engineer Michael DiPilato said.
The building’s addition would hold empty plastic and metal containers associated with the company’s automotive parts manufacturing.
City officials were concerned about drainage plans and whether a detention pond from the company’s last expansion in 2011 would be sufficient for this expansion.
However, officials were willing to work with UGN to get work done before winter comes and review grading and other improvements.
City Planner Tyler Kent said the company needs to do more landscaping around the addition, too.
In other business, the empty auto dealership at the northeast corner of Lincolnway and Morgan Boulevard has another interested user.
Nick Schenkel, Real Estate Manager for Superior Auto of Fort Wayne, presented plans for a possible “buy here; pay here” vehicle dealership at the site.
The company has more than 50 dealerships in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.
However, the lot doesn’t conform to the 2004 Unified Development Ordinance and isn’t grandfathered into zoning compliance since Main Street Motors left.
Valparaiso now requires a dealership in that area to all have vehicles but three inside a building that is at least 70 percent glass
The potential developers have applied to the Board of Zoning Appeals for a variance, and City Planner Tyler Kent said he’d try and work with them on increased building size.
The site’s been vacant since April 2012 when Main Street moved to U.S. 30 for more room.
“This is a key corner in the city. We’d like to see that redeveloped,” Kent said.
People have considered it in the past as a possible restaurant and a possible winery, he said.
The site’s owner, Bill McDonald, refused to talk about the project and possible development because of a past news article on the restaurant that presented plans in May 2013.