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Developers pitch 54-room Cobblestone hotel at 35 and 94; water-main extension, financing discussed
Summary
Developers presented a plan for a Cobblestone Hotels franchise of about 54 guest rooms at the 35 and 94 intersection, proposing a roughly 5,000-foot, 12-inch water main extension and a construction timeline beginning in 2026 with a 2027 opening.
Developers told the La Porte County Redevelopment Commission they plan to build a Cobblestone Hotels franchise at the intersection of State Road 35 and I-94 and are pursuing utility extensions and financing to support the project.
Gary Ratke of Ratke Engineering and Surveying said the project will relocate the Serenity Springs entrance, remove a berm for interstate visibility and add new access points. He described the water main route the development would need: "It's about 5,000 feet of pipe... they are proposing to put a 12 inch pipe in there, which will serve this intersection," Ratke said, adding the line would provide fire protection and water service for the site and connect to Michigan City infrastructure.
Ratke said the plan includes a 54-room Cobblestone facility as the first construction phase, with potential future expansion. "Cobblestone Hotels is a privately owned upper mid scale hotel brand out of Wisconsin," Chris Hart, a Cobblestone representative, told commissioners, describing the brand's roughly 160 hotels in 27 states and the proposed hotel's amenities, including an indoor pool and a boardroom area.
Ratke said his firm will design the on-site infrastructure over the winter and that with bank financing they expect Cobblestone construction to begin in 2026 with a 2027 opening, subject to final permissions and financing. He identified a local bank contact as helping with financing but that the bank representative was not present.
Commissioners asked whether the 12-inch line anticipates additional development and whether sewer capacity and connections were sufficient for projected volumes; Ratke and staff responded that prior studies identified a larger potential TIF area, that low-pressure sewer systems were in place in nearby locations and that larger gravity systems could serve future growth. No formal action or funding commitment was taken by the commission at the meeting; developers asked the commission and city staff for assistance with property exchanges where INDOT holds maintenance land that the developers hope to reassign for development.
