Banquet, wedding center plan expected to be voted on Tuesday

Plans for a wedding venue and banquet center in the former Budd Co. Union Hall building in the 3100 block of 11th Avenue will be going before the Gary Common Council Tuesday for final approval.

Petitioner Matthew Jackson received unanimous approval from the plan commission in December for the proposed use of the building with a stipulation signage be erected designating the neighboring side streets as residential parking only, according to Eric Boria, the city’s zoning administrator.

Councilwoman Tai Adkins, D-4th, who is chair of the council’s plan committee, said at the Tuesday meeting the measure would be presented for third and final reading at the next common council meeting.

The property at 3121 to 3139 W. 11th Ave., is zoned residential but is in a line of other commercial businesses along 11th. The most recent use of the building was for the Temple of Israel Church. The biggest concern surrounding the project at the plan commission level was the availability of parking, Councilman Ron Brewer, D-At large. Brewer is the council’s representative on the plan commission.

The venue would be able to host events of up to 300 people and currently has 25 parking spaces. Jackson has entered into a deal with nearby Peace Baptist Church to provide an additional 25 parking spaces during events. While the side streets will be dedicated residential, there also is additional parking along 11th Avenue.

Jackson said he has been doing events like weddings since about 2015 but has been operating as a mobile business. He said while occupancy at the building is 300, he has not done events with more than 100 to 150 people, especially during the pandemic

“I’ve done at last 300 weddings and have done one with over 150 people yet,” Jackson said.

Adam Decker, attorney for the petitioner, said the number of available parking spaces secured comply with city ordinances.

Councilman Clorius Lay, D-At large, shared concerns about parking.

“Even at 150 people that is three persons to a car,” Lay said, adding he was not arguing whether the parking plan was in compliance with the ordinance just that it may be a bad ordinance.

The banquet hall venue was the only one of three proposals to make it out of the plan committee Tuesday. A request to operate a used car lot in a manner not specified in the city’s comprehensive plan was sent back to committee to give the petitioner time to submit a rendering of what the property would look like. The plan commission presented an unfavorable recommendation to the council for the project.

A request for a zoning change to create a $40 million light industrial development at the Lake Sandy Jo Superfund site was also sent back to committee after more than 90 minutes of discussion.