Vacant Building Could be Filled In The LSA(posted Mar 27) Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County’s proposal to locate at 3930 Georgetown Road received mix reviews by the Lafayette Square Area Coalition. Not all of the members appeared to have a warm and fuzzy feeling to the announcement of using the former Don Sisk Pontiac dealership for an administrative and ambulance maintenance center. The apparent resistance came from the land use committee that has worked over a year to develop a proposed land use plan. The proposed SU-9 use does not exactly match the committee’s idea to designate that area as cultural center. Some of the members appeared to be giving a message of “we want you but maybe not at that location.” “This might defeat what we are trying to do,” LSAC President Mary Clark said. LSAC member Joyce Sutton thought Pike Plaza would be more conducive to the group’s proposed land use plan. The LSAC has no enforcement powers to implement the land use map it created. The LSAC created the map as a courtesy to the City since the current one is almost eight years old. The proposed map could only be implemented by City of Indianapolis’ approval. LSAC member Judy Donner asked HCC Special Assistant Brian Carney if the HHC had looked at other sites, referring to the vacant buildings on Pike Plaza. If the HHC succeeded with rezoning and purchasing the site, Donner requested more landscaping and façade improvement be implemented. Carney indicated he had only looked at that site and the 35,000 square foot building and deemed it a good fit for HHC needs. Carney decided not to continue the search. Carney said he would consider Pike Plaza area if the zoning petition or the deal to purchase unraveled. Improved landscaping and building façade updates were not part of the budget. Attorney Joe Cauldron said the rezoning is needed from SU1 (church use) to SU9 (government office use). HHC would not pay property taxes because it is a non-profit, but the site is already exempted from property taxes since it zoned for a church use. The HHC benefits the area by bringing in 20 employees to serve as a customer base to the area. Six ambulances and two reserve ambulances would be housed at the site, but ambulance runs would not be initiated from the site. The drivers are assigned to difference sections in the city and would return the ambulance once a 12 hour-shift has ended. The building will also provide paramedic training. The vehicles would be housed inside the garage area, so it would only give the impression that it is an administrative office building. Not all of the LSAC members expressed hesitation about HHC coming to that site. LSAC member Mark Killgo sees HHC’s future location as a winning situation to rid the area of a vacant building plus adding new customers to the retail area. |
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