The owner of a new record store coming to downtown Hobart received city approval to host live outdoor music events there.
Tom Lounges told the Board of Public Works and Safety at a recent meeting that he plans to open his Record Bin store at 218 Main St. around mid-May and wants to host acoustic shows in the store’s back parking lot.
He said he would like to do a show for his grand opening and possibly once a month in the summer months.
He said the shows would be in the early evenings on the weekends and no alcohol would be served.
“My goal is to promote the arts to the young demographic,” said Lounges, who said he’s been in the entertainment business for 40 years.
“The back room of the record store will be used to promote arts. I’m looking at doing painting and photography exhibits there,” Lounges said.
He said he wants to involve local businesses in his events.
Mayor Brian Snedecor commended Lounges for his vision and for wanting to work with the local business community.
“The only possible problem would be if someone said it’s a nuisance, but you said you would stop at 7:30 p.m.,” Snedecor said.
In other matters, Indianapolis attorney Bryan Redmond told the board his client, Federal National Mortgage Association, is still awaiting a decision by Lake Superior Court on its foreclosure request for the former Luken property at 131 Center St. In the meantime, Redmond said, Fannie Mae has hired a company to determine if the two-story brick house that has fallen into disrepair should be razed or remodeled and sold.
He said Fannie Mae would pay for the demolition or remodeling.
City Attorney Anthony DeBonis pointed out that the city has been wanting some action on the property for a number of months. He said the board needs to know Fannie Mae’s decision by its May 2 meeting.
The board gave contractor Rieth-Riley permission to repave Indiana 51 at night, including the residential areas, waiving the city’s noise curfew. The state road is being repaved from U.S. 30 to U.S. 20.
Resident Jerri Hellstrom was given until May 7 to have her yard cleaned up to city standards or city staff would clean it and charge her for the work.
Hellstrom was already given a $1,000 fine for property maintenance issues. Police Sgt. Ronald Russo, the city’s code enforcement officer, told the board there were still concrete mixers, a boat and other items in the yard, plus a washer and dryer had been added since the previous meeting.
“Nothing has been done in two weeks. I’m not sure a continuance will have any results based on past experience,” Russo said.
He said it would only take a day for city staff to remove all the objects.
Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
