The Board of Zoning Appeals made a favorable recommendation to the Crown Point City Council for a proposal to repurpose the former Trinity Lutheran Church and adjacent school at 400 East North Street into office space and a small number of residential units.

Petition 25‑29 was filed by Creekside Living (petitioner) and the 1886 Church Foundation Corporation (owner). "This building... has stood in the community for over a hundred years," said Mike Arnold, president of Creekside Living, describing the group's plan to convert the church sanctuary to office suites and to renovate the school building into four to six residential units.

Planning staff described the request as a special use to allow residential units within the same structure as office services and noted the property sits at the northeast corner of North and Grant streets surrounded largely by residential parcels. "Planning has verified that the business use will be put in for offices, not for vehicle or equipment storage... Planning department recommends approval of petition form 55," said Mister Watson of the planning staff. The item will move next to the plan commission for a code change (rezoning) to OS‑1 (office‑service) and then to city council for final action.

Why it matters: the proposal would preserve a century‑old church building that neighbors and preservation groups say is Crown Point's oldest surviving church structure, while adding walkable housing and office space near the downtown square. Public comment at the hearing was largely supportive: Connie Swatz, a nearby resident, said she was "thrilled" by the plan and described neighborhood residents' preference for restoration over demolition. Janine Letcher, president of the Lake County Historical Society, told the board, "Preservation of buildings is progress," and said tour groups she leads favor saving the structure.

Board members asked detailed questions about project scope, structural condition, unit count and timeline. Mike Arnold said prior structural work was done in 2021 and that Creekside will commission its own structural review before major work begins. Board members and staff discussed limiting the number of residential units; the motion for a favorable recommendation included a maximum of six residential units, with the potential that fewer units would be constructed depending on basement usability and code compliance.

Action taken: Mister O'Haley moved for a favorable recommendation to city council, with a cap of no more than six residential units and subject to rezoning to OS‑1 and incorporation of the findings of fact; Mister Saruman seconded. The roll call vote was unanimous in favor. The planning department noted the project proponents will need to appear before city council (scheduled for July 7) to answer council questions.

Discussion vs. decision: the board's favorable recommendation is advisory to the city council and conditioned on rezoning to OS‑1. The board did not obligate funding; it required no specific structural report in the motion, but members urged the petitioner to complete thorough structural assessments and produce design plans for subsequent reviews.

Next steps: Planning staff will process the rezoning request and the petitioner will present design drawings to the plan commission and city council; petitioner indicated designs are in development and that final unit count may depend on basement conversion and building code review.