A now vacant 32-acre parcel in the Town of Burns Harbor could one day become the community’s focal point.
That’s the vision expressed by Eric Hull, president of the town’s redevelopment commission. The RDC recently acquired 28 acres from the Duneland School Corp., which is adjacent to the former, town-owned Westport Community Center site along State Road 149 and Haglund Road.
“Westport connects Burns Harbor’s past to its future,” Hull said. “This site is where the founders incorporated the town in 1969 and where generations of residents and visitors continue to socially gather.”
Hull said the town envisions, “a vibrant center where people can experience a Duneland community that is a harmonious blend of residential, commercial and industrial uses next to the Indiana Dunes National Park.”
Town officials said the land now is slated for master development through a collaboration between the RDC and Holladay Properties.
Last year, the RDC solicited request for qualifications from master developers and in February selected Portage-based Holladay Properties as the qualified real estate development firm. Holladay Properties will be responsible for facilitating, implementing and inducing private investment at the Westport site.
The RDC and Holladay Properties will use a phased approach to developing Westport. The project will kick-off with a pre-development phase to integrate prior Town plans, current trail infrastructure projects and the latest market data into a Westport Sub-Area Plan for inclusion in the town’s comprehensive plan.
