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Chicago Tribune
19-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Burns Harbor receives a lone bid for land it owns and hopes to be developed
Burns Harbor hopes to sell land it owns off Ind. 149 so it can be developed, two years after a developer withdrew from a $32 million project in partnership with the town. The Redevelopment Commission on Wednesday opened a bid from one company to buy 25 acres the town owns at Haglund Road and Ind. 149. The property is located across the road from the current Town Hall. Sloane Avenue Group and Redstone Group of Grand Rapids, Michigan, proposed to pay $25,000 for the land and to assume all costs of infrastructure, engineering, soil analysis and potential wetland mitigation. It was the only company that responded to the town's Request for Offer (RFO). Commission members didn't discuss the proposal because they wanted time to review and evaluate it. The proposal will also be reviewed by the town's consultant, Tina Rongers, and Town Attorney Clay Patton. A decision may be announced at the Redevelopment Commission's July 11 meeting. Councilwoman Roseann Bozak, who is the commission president, wouldn't release a copy of the proposal, citing that it hasn't been reviewed yet by the legal counsel. Bozak said they are looking for a mix of residential and commercial on the land, like the town intended to develop with its prior partner, Holladay Properties. 'We intend on sticking with that,' Bozak said. She wouldn't share what the Sloane Avenue Group and Redstone Group are proposing, beyond taking care of infrastructure, engineering, soil analysis and potential wetland mitigation. A BP pipeline does go through the property. The relationship between Burns Harbor and any party that buys the property will be different than the last time. 'The project will be developer-driven as opposed to a public-private partnership,' Rongers said. Burns Harbor and Holladay Properties had originally reached their agreement in 2019, but plans were then delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Holladay Properties announced in June 2023 that they couldn't go forward because of economic conditions. As a result, the town had to decline a $960,000 state grant from the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI), which would have been used to install underground utilities. The town also spent money on a property master plan, Rongers said. The plan's goal was to create a new town center, which would have been anchored by a 22,800-square-foot town hall and community center. Another key amenity was that a section of the Marquette Greenway trail would be built on the property. The development also would have had 40 single-family townhouses, five multi-family luxury apartment buildings with 138 units, along with 5,800 square feet of commercial space in the ground floors of three of the apartment units. During the past two years, a 0.8-mile section of the trail has been built on the property. The Marquette Greenway, when finished by multiple communities, will eventually stretch 60 miles from Chicago to New Buffalo, Michigan. Rongers said that the property is currently zoned residential. Burns Harbor will still retain a 4-acre parcel off of Ind. 149 neighboring the 25 acres to be sold. The vacant lot, which once was the location of a community center, could be the future location for a new town hall. The town in 2018 purchased 28 acres at Haglund Road and Ind. 149 for $250,000 from the Duneland School Corporation.
Chicago Tribune
02-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Burns Harbor trail efforts earn Marquette Greenway award
The nonprofit Greenways Foundation recently gave Burns Harbor its Outstanding Local Government award for its work on the Marquette Greenway. The Greenways Foundation champions Indiana's trail networks and highlights leadership and trail projects across the state. Mitch Barloga, trail czar at the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission and the foundation's board president, called Burns Harbor 'plucky' for its 'huge commitment to this quality of life issue.' 'Burns Harbor is a great example of how these trails can improve community stature in the region,' he said. Through the Town Council and the Redevelopment Commission, guided by consultant Tina Rongers, the town has been aggressive in building sections of the trail. 'It might be one of the nicest parts of the trail through there,' Barloga said. A section of the trail opened last year winds through an open area where the town hopes to attract a developer to bring residential and commercial development to the small town. 'It's really exciting to have the trail as a centerpiece for this,' Redevelopment Commission President Roseann Bozak said. 'Not many other towns and cities along the Marquette Greenway had the benefit of getting the trail first and being able to bring that into the development.' That's a good example of trail-oriented development, Barloga said. 'They really leaned into that heavily with this development.' 'We are still working on the final piece in Burns Harbor that will connect to the town of Porter,' Bozak said. 'We're really excited about that collaboration. It's not often that we get to collaborate with neighboring towns. Hopefully, this opens the doors to more collaboration in the future.' 'I believe the construction on this should begin in the fall, providing there are no hiccups along the way,' Bozak said. 'It's been a community ahead of the curve when it comes to quality-of-life issues,' Barloga said. Bozak said the award is appreciated. 'The town has had so many ups and downs in the past few years. It's really nice to see the hard work get recognized and rewarded.' Town Council President Jennifer McHargue said in a news release that the trail has been popular, improving the health of walkers and bikers. 'We are proud to offer regional trail amenities that people can enjoy just in town or venture into neighboring communities along southern Lake Michigan,' she said. When completed, the 60-mile trail will stretch from Chicago's South Side to New Buffalo. For Burns Harbor, funding the trail sections has been challenging. In 2014, the town began using tax increment financing to fund new planning and infrastructure projects. The town's master plan identified the Marquette Greenway as a key project. In 2017, the RDC received a $7 million state transportation grant to build the trail. However, the town couldn't gain right-of-way access from Norfolk Southern, so the town changed gears and used money from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Indiana Department of Transportation. Between 2019 and 2021, Burns Harbor built the 1.5-mile segment from the western edge of town to Ind. 149, by Town Hall. The phase opened last year stretches from Ind. 149 to Indiana Dunes National Park. 'Collaboration and celebration are keys to our success,' Bozak said. 'In Burns Harbor, we persevere in the face of challenges because we love our community, which is our home. We are raising our families here and building amenities like trails in hopes the next generation of residents will stay and raise their families, too,' she said.
Chicago Tribune
07-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Burns Harbor clerk-treasurer resigns, citing toxic work environment
Nicole Migliorini is resigning as the Burns Harbor Town clerk-treasurer, citing a 'toxic environment' that has made it 'impossible' to perform the job. Migliorini, 32, had served for less than a year as she was officially appointed by the Town Council as clerk-treasurer on June 12, 2024. She filed her official resignation letter Wednesday with the Porter County Clerk's office. The resignation takes effect on May 14. It is the second time within a year that a Burns Harbor clerk-treasurer has resigned, citing problems working with other town officials. Jane Jordan on May 8, 2024, suddenly resigned as the clerk-treasurer after serving 20 years on the job. Her husband Kurt Jordan, who had been elected to the Town Council in November 2023, also turned in his resignation. The Jordans had issues with the Burns Harbor Volunteer Fire Department Corporation concerning public records access and alleged violations of Indiana Code in customer billing for emergency services. They resigned because of their belief that the state, county and the Town Council were unresponsive to the situation. Migliorini in her letter stated that she hoped to have a more positive experience when she started the job, but it became apparent that wasn't going to happen. 'This decision comes after long consideration and is the result of the toxic environment that has made it impossible to perform my duties with the integrity the role deserves,' Migliorini's letter states. 'Despite my best efforts to uphold the responsibilities of my office, I can no longer justify remaining in a position where standards are ignored.' Migliorini said she believed that resigning 'is in the best interest of both my professional integrity and personal well-being.' During her last week on the job, Migliorini said she would fulfill her duties, but 'will not continue to tolerate an environment that actively obstructs the very principles I was hired to uphold.' Migliorini couldn't be reached for further comment. Migliorini had worked as an assistant clerk in the Burns Harbor clerk-treasurer's office before she was promoted. She also served on the town's plan commission. Councilwoman Roseann Bozak said that she and other council members received an email this week from Migliorini, informing them of her intent to file the resignation paperwork with the Porter County Clerk's office. Bozak declined to comment on the content of Migliorini's resignation letter. The Town Council will have to find someone soon to fill the job and, at the moment, there is no one in mind, Bozak said. The council appointed Migliorini to the clerk-treasurer's job after Porter County Democratic Party Chairman Don Craft declined to make the appointment.
