Plans for downtown restaurant clash with Gary Housing Authority goals

The Gary Common Council may have to decide between the merits of a plan to establish a restaurant downtown that would try to cater to various ethnic cuisines and cultural programs, and the Gary Housing Authority – which is in the process of trying to acquire an entire block of property on Broadway to allow for a massive redevelopment of downtown.

The long-range Housing Authority plan would involve acquiring the entire east side of the 600 block of Broadway.

Gary businessman John Allen, who is working with Slawomir Zero of Lake in the Hills, Illinois, hopes to create what they envision as a restaurant to be called Nations, which they say will also have a space where events can be staged.

The intent would be to have events in Gary that would promote various ethnicities, with Allen saying the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo, and Independence Day festivities for Poland and Nigeria are just a few of the kinds of events that could be held at Nations.

Allen owns the storefront at 624 Broadway, which is why he appeared Tuesday before the Common Council’s planning committee seeking a special use permit for the site.

The problem is that the plan clashes with the longrange goals of the Gary Housing Authority, which has indicated it is putting together a plan during the next three years that could see significant business development that would include the 624 Broadway storefront.

Allen said he’d like to begin work on developing his business dream within the next couple of months.

The issue already is pending in court, with a hearing scheduled in June, although Allen said it is not likely any final court ruling would be reached by that date.

Whether a compromise can be reached was the expressed desire of Common Council officials, who say they’d rather not have to pick a side – only to find out that the courts ruled in favor of the other side.

“It would be good if there’s a compromise that the two sides can agree on,” said council President Ronald Brewer.

The council’s planning committee did not make any sort of recommendation on the request, with committee chairman Herb Smith saying the issue could take some time for council members to resolve.

Mayor Karen FreemanWilson said she’d also like to see a compromise, because she said she’d hate to see Allen put money and effort into fixing up the 624 Broadway location, only to have the Gary Housing Authority’s viewpoint prevail.

She also said it might work best if the business interests found a different location for Nations to be established. “It could happen elsewhere” the mayor said.

Also on Tuesday, the Planning committee reviewed a proposal by a Gary man who wants to establish an Italian restaurant in the Miller Beach neighborhood.

Marc Romano said he wants to operate a business at 925 Shelby that would be half a restaurant seating up to 70 people at a time, and half a nightclub where live music and other entertainment could be provided.