Family Express station coming soon to Crown Point
By Carrie Napoleon Post-Tribune correspondent September 10, 2012 10:38PM
Crown Point — Family Express Corp. took the first steps toward a new gas station and car wash at the northwest corner of North Street and Indiana Avenue.
The company, represented by Jeff Ban with DVG Engineers, came before the Plan Commission Monday to turn the parcel, which is a mix of vacated easements and lots dating from as far back to the late 1800s, into a single lot.
Ban said the move is the first step and will help simplify legal descriptions of the property as the project moves forward. Curt Graves, director of community development agreed.
“It makes it cleaner. This is the right way to do it,” Graves said. Currently the lot is at 802 E. North St. Once the parcel is consolidated the address will become 880 E. North St
Ban said the company has every intention of following city code and installing sidewalks. Ban said he has presented drainage plans to the city engineer for review to be included on the site plan.
Todd Etzler, general counsel for Family Express, after the meeting said the company plans to build one of its colonial-style gas stations with a convenience store and car wash at the site.
“It’s our standard prototype,” Etzler said. He cited the Family Express in Aberdeen in Valparaiso as an example.
Etzler said once permitting is in place, the project would take about 69 days and could be open by the end of the year.
Ban said the company will be before the Board of Zoning Appeals later this month to seek a set-back variance. He said the matter will be before the Plan Commission in October for both site plan and primary plat approval.
