Council to vote on police
department
By Heather Mangold
City
Editor
The West Lafayette city council plans to vote on
a bill that would appropriate $400,000 for a new police department on
Monday night.
The money will provide funding for activities,
such as consulting fees and architectural input, which would bring the
police department one step closer to building a new home.
Thomas Gall, the project manager, said that this
money would begin the final step necessary before breaking new ground.
"We're hoping to break ground late fall of this
year," said Police Chief Dan Marvin.
The building will take approximately one year to
build and will be located next to West Lafayette's City Hall building,
said Marvin.
The council will also vote on a proposal to rezone
the .67 acre plot of real estate that will host the new mixed-use development
on the northeast corner of State Street and Andrew Place. Formerly known
as Andrew Place, the building is now referred to as State Street Commons.
If zoning is approved, the building will include
approximately 7,000 square feet for retail and approximately 50,000
square feet for residential purposes, said Joe Bumbleburg, development
attorney.
Bumbleburg said the property would give passers-by
the impression of a "classic downtown look."
Requests have been made by city officials not to
include certain kinds of businesses in the development such as drive-thru
restaurants and standard bars. Bumbleburg said that the developers plan
to honor those requests.
Barbara Sparby, city council member at large, requested
that no pawn shops or tattoo parlors be permitted in the retail portion
of the building. Bumbleburg turned down her request because guidelines
for the building have already been created.
Nothing has been on the lot for 25 years and Bumbleburg
said the building would fit into the land use needs of that area.
"It will be such a major improvement to this area,"
said Mayor Sonya Margerum.
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