Council closes public hearing on Park 24 abatement waiver; building complete but unleased

At the Hammond City Council meeting, members held a public hearing on Resolution 25 R-17, a request by Park 24 Hammond LLC for a waiver of noncompliance under Indiana Code related to a tax abatement for tangible real property at 24 Marble Street.

Juan Moreno, the city’s director of economic development, told the council Park 24 is a $40,000,000 investment: a 400,000‑square‑foot industrial spec building on an underutilized site near Gateway Station that was completed in 2024 and is being shown to prospective tenants. “They’re in constant negotiations with, but they’re just inches away as getting a tenant signed,” Moreno said.

Public comment included criticism of council transparency. Robertsdale resident George Stoya said residents lacked adequate notice or information about changes to earlier terms and called for clearer public captions and disclosures. “We hear nothing about this,” Stoya said, adding he had complained previously about formatting and notice.

Scope and effect: the waiver under discussion would delay the operative start of an existing tax abatement by one year — not eliminate the abatement — to allow the developer additional time to secure tenants and recoup initial costs, speakers said. Juan Moreno described the measure as a one‑year postponement of when taxes on the building would begin to be collected.

Action taken: after public comment the council closed the public hearing. No final vote to grant or deny the waiver was recorded during the meeting.

Background: council members said Park 24, approved in the earlier 2022–2024 period, had been discussed previously in caucus and earlier proceedings; the current hearing addressed a timing issue, not a change in project scope. Rich Dale, general corporate counsel for Park 24, was present to answer questions.

Ending: With the hearing closed, the council may take future procedural steps or a formal vote on the waiver at a subsequent meeting.