Redevelopment commission refers property offers to staff, approves small parcel sale to local fence company

The Hammond Redevelopment Commission on May 6 referred responses and directed staff follow-up on several property sales and request-for-proposal (RFP) matters, and approved a signed purchase agreement to sell a small city-owned parcel to Hammond Fence Company of Indiana Inc.

Commission staff said the commission received a single response for 826 Willow Court — an offer at the full advertised RFP price from Jose Flores — and directed staff to proceed with next steps. For 537 Hoffman Street and another RFP numbered 4816 (Summer), staff reported there were no respondents. The commission voted to refer these matters to staff for follow-up where appropriate.

Separately, the commission approved a signed agreement to sell an HRC-owned parcel at 1149–11 State Street to Hammond Fence Company of Indiana Inc. for $400. Staff described the parcel as a very small lot with no structures and noted it is surrounded by other Hammond Fence-owned parcels; the single respondent was the fence company.

Commissioners voted unanimously on each motion. The roll-call approvals were recorded after staff described the respondents and asked to refer the matters to staff for processing. The commission did not authorize any deviations from advertised RFP terms during the meeting and did not set additional conditions beyond standard closing requirements.

Commission staff additionally reported that two communications had been received earlier: a letter from Kenwood Tap in Hesville expressing interest in an HRC-owned building on Kennedy Avenue, and a set of 26 residential inquiries collected from the redevelopment website; both communications were referred to staff for follow-up.