Concord Mall may become business park
Jun. 6—ELKHART — Residents of Concordia Court and their neighbors listened in earnest to developers explain their plans for the future of Concord Mall, and while they want to be supportive of growth, they have some serious concerns for the all-but abandoned mall facing their front yards.
The Elkhart City Plan Commission approved a rezoning Monday morning that will next have to pass through the city council before renovations to the property can begin.
Plans by Industrial Commercial Properties are to revitalize the mall into a business park, retaining many of the remaining stores including Hobby Lobby and ABC Warehouse, and creating opportunities for businesses and even some manufacturing inside.
Regardless of whether or not companies immediately take to the change and move to the new park, ICP has said their plans to recreate some serious changes to the exterior won't be impacted. Façade renovations, parking changes, and greenspace additions, as well as buffer zones, are top priorities.
The redistricting proposal would the B-4 Regional Business District from the list of permitted uses, in exchange to rezoning to R-4 Multi-Family Residential, B-2 Community Business, and M-1 Limited Manufacturing to the list of permitted uses. They would also be omitting some M-1 uses such as recycling centers including chemical processing and tire recycling; kennels and animal hospitals, archery and rifle ranges; and crematoriums.
Mobile home and manufactured mobile home manufacturing would be allowed as a special exception subject to approval by the board of zoning appeals. Companies would also be permitted to have motor freight terminals and transportation vehicle storage as an accessory use, with some stipulations.
Among the biggest concerns for residents nearby are the possibility of, what Jeff Martin, ICP vice president of Development, identified as four-story high apartment buildings.
Martin acknowledged that ICP doesn't work in residential housing, but rather in revitalizing properties, so more than likely, they would contract the work for residential projects to a real estate company.
The exception specific to mobile home manufacturing also has neighbors concerned that plans may already be in place. ICP representatives assured residents that is not the case, but residents' concerns weren't relaxed following the plan commission meeting.
"It was our decision to buy where we did and live next to the mall," Beggs said. "We knew what we were getting into, however, what's being presented to us now is not what we bought into. Unfortunately, the mall did not survive, and I'm honestly grateful that something is being done there but I hope you keep us in mind while developing this."
For them, it's sound pollution, traffic, and visibility that are of the most concern.
"I'm all for growth, and we want to support growth in the community," said Sherwin Simon, who lives on Concordia Court, explaining that in the renderings, not much consideration was given to the back of the mall, where the community is housed. He suggested a barrier along Concordia Court to block a possible manufacturing view outside their front window.
The city's requirements already include a 30-foot buffer yard, and additional landscaping and screenings.
"One of the things we're most excited about this plan is the opportunity to re-energize activity back into this center and into this corridor by bringing significant economic activity to the site every day that can help spur the commercial and residential pieces that will accommodate this," said Mike Huber, said Elkhart City Director of Development Services.
The zoning change will next make its way to the City of Elkhart Common Council meeting, most likely in July.
Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.
