After plenty of discussion with each other and the general public, the Crown Point City Council moved to adopt an ordinance granting the rezone of a business location on the square.
In a 6-1 vote, with council member Dawn Stokes voting no, the council approved to adopt the ordinance granting the rezone of a B-2 business to a B-1 business at 142 N. Main St., meaning a restaurant or bar could move into the spot.
“Addressing an old vacant building, to me, is responsible development and growth,” Council President Scott Evorik said at the Feb. 1 meeting. “Is your property value going to go up with a building that’s vacant and just sitting there and deteriorating, or being fixed up? I think it’s more responsible to fix the place up and have a business that’s going to thrive.”
The Registry Bar and Grill has hopes to move into the spot, however only the rezoning was confirmed at the meeting.
Registry owner Robert Ulman said after the city council meeting Jan. 4, he reached out to a list of people who had “expressed the most concerns” in order to address the situation before the meeting Feb. 1.
Ulman said if Registry Bar & Grill moves into the building he plans to add additional security to protect his business as well as those surrounding him.
“At the establishment I have now, I have 20 different security cameras out front, out back and inside the place, and I plan on expanding that with more square footage, I’ll do that and surround the area,” Ulman said. “I told them I would have the security people I employ to check the parking lots, clean up stuff afterward, to make sure there’s nothing going on or people causing problems after they leave.”
Several business owners from the area spoke at the meeting to address concerns, and some, such as Brad Belush from Brad’s Designs and Jewelry and Julie Wendorf, director of the Crown Point Public Library, said Ulman had spoken to them about the potential rezone and move of the bar and grill.
“He seemed to want to, and seemed eager to, address the demands and some of the concerns that I had as he could,” Belush said. “He did show some concern about my concerns and we did have a talk.”
Debbie Lilly, of Debbie’s Designs Florist, said she also heard from Ulman, though she said she was still worried about patrons of the Registry Bar & Grill using her parking and she was concerned she would be liable for them being on her property under the influence.
“I don’t have much faith in the situation and I am asking the city to really think about this before you cause problems for established businesses,” Lilly said at the meeting. “I’ve been here 34 years, I think I’m an asset to the community … I’m just asking you guys to really think about this property.”
Some council members noted they believe the Plan Commission would assist in making the rezone work in the best way possible.
“I have faith in our Plan Commission and site plan that they will recommended and require the proper adjustments and improvements so that it becomes a win-win situation for the neighbors, for his business and for all of our residents,” Councilman Andrew Kyres said.
Councilman Chad Jeffries noted at the meeting that the rezone was not about the Registry, but instead the building itself.
“At the end of the day, basically regardless of Registry, not Registry, any of it, to me it’s do we think that the building is going to be viable and can stay there, or do we say that it’s absolutely not and it’s a B-2 zone and there’s nothing we can do about it?” Jeffries said. “To me, it’s that two sides of the coin we need to look at.”
Hannah Reed is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
