A Merrillville committee Friday recommended that 10-year property tax abatements be granted for a new 208,000-square-foot warehouse to be constructed at the Ameriplex at the Crossroads, bringing in in about 50 new jobs, and a longtime auto dealership in town that is looking to move and remodel.
The Ameriplex development, dubbed Project Axel by the town, will be developed by Crow Holdings International of Chicago on about 22 acres of vacant land in the tech park, according to Sean Andrews, an associate with Crow Holdings.
Town Manager Patrick Reardon said the project would cost about $21.5 million and would provide some 200 temporary construction jobs over a 12-month period.
Reardon said the project first came to the town in March 2019 through the Lake County Economic Alliance and the Indiana Economic Development Commission.
Andrews said 45% of the building has already been leased to one company. While not naming the company at this time, Andrews said it’s a major truck and auto parts distributor in the Midwest.
“They will relocate and expand their headquarter offices and warehouse to Merrillville,” Andrews said.
He said the company would be retaining eight employees and hiring 50 new ones.
He said he hopes to break ground on the project on Oct. 1.
Councilman Shawn Pettit, D-6tth, who heads the Economic Development Committee, requested that at least 10% of the new hires be Merrillville residents provided they’re qualified to do the work, that the new tenant hold a job fair and that the developer work with the Northwestern Indiana Building & Construction Trades Council.
He also strongly recommended the new tenant become a member of the Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The EDC voted 3-0 with one abstention to give the town council a favorable recommendation for Project Axel’s request for both personal and real property tax abatements over 10 years. Member David Lasser abstained as he is the listing agent for the property.
The matter will go before the town council at its Sept. 22 meeting, with a public hearing to be held on Oct. 13.
In the second matter, the committee recommended to the town council that Shaver Preferred Motors receive a 10-year real property tax abatement by a 3-1 vote. Councilman Leonard White, D-7th, voted against the recommendation.
The used auto dealership, which has been in Merrillville for 25 years and at its current 5701 Broadway address for 20 years, will be demolishing its current building and moving into and remodeling the former Levin Tire building at 5713 Broadway.
The current site will be used for extra inventory of cars, co-owner Jim Beemsterboer said.
“Shaver will redo the Levin building inside and out, remove the small structure they’re now in and consolidate the business into a building that’s four times larger than the current one,” attorney Geoffrey Giorgi said.
Giorgi said the owners, Beemsterboer and Michael Shaver Jr., don’t anticipate getting the return on their $1 million investment should they sell the building.
“But they’ve been at that location for more than 20 years and feel this will be nothing but an improvement for the north end of Merrillville,” Giorgi said.
Giorgi said the owners know they need to use union workers for the remodeling work.
Pettit said there will only be four additional employees, but asked that at least one of them be a Merrillville resident.
In a meeting that followed, the economic development commission named the dealership’s address an economic development area, a move needed for the abatement to be granted. The designation was granted for this petitioner only.
Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
