Representatives of Creekside on Wednesday presented a private plan to restore the historic Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church at 400 East North Street and convert the adjacent former school into residential units; the Board of Public Works and Safety offered a procedural nod for the proponents to pursue required city approvals.

The presentation matters because the property has been the subject of prior city action that deemed the building unsafe and awarded a demolition contract; a successful rehabilitation would preserve a downtown landmark and keep a local business in Crown Point, the proponents said.

Robert Pollino, vice president of Creekside, and Mike Arnold, the firm's president, described a proposal to preserve the church's exterior and convert the interior into two to three floors of office suites while converting the adjacent school into three to five residential units (apartments or condominiums). Pollino said the firm would be the major tenant and occupy two floors initially, expanding into a third floor as the business grows. "I believe that our team ... could really ... make this, a showpiece within Crown Point," Pollino said.

The developers said the work would be privately funded and that they plan to use local contractors and preservation specialists; Pollino estimated the earliest realistic timeline would be roughly 18 months if the structure is salvageable. He acknowledged that structural-engineering work could reveal the building is not salvageable; in that case the developers said they would return with a demolition-and-rebuild plan and seek the required approvals.

Board members praised the proposal but stressed conditions: the developers will need to apply for rezoning (they said the current zoning is likely residential) and obtain approvals from the Historic Preservation Commission, plan review, and ultimately the city council. City legal counsel and staff outlined an option to rescind the demolition order if the necessary filings and approvals proceed satisfactorily; the board took no final action and treated the presentation as a workshop.

Economic development staff were asked to assist the developers with filing timelines and to coordinate the next steps. Several board members said they were supportive of saving the structure if the plan proves feasible and the proponents keep to an aggressive schedule.