Michigan City board OKs NFR Institute restaurant with conditions; fire-suppression, water and state approvals required

The Michigan City Board of Zoning Appeals on April 14 approved a special-exception request allowing the NFR Institute of Technology’s cafeteria at 1602 Tennessee Street to operate as a restaurant, provided the group satisfies several safety and infrastructure conditions.

The board voted to grant petition B-105-26 after hearing presentations from the petitioner, Dr. Lesie Samuelson, planning staff and the fire marshal. Samuelson, who identified herself as a co‑founder of the NFR Institute and project representative, told the board the facility functions as a maker space with a certified commercial kitchen and that the restaurant use would support entrepreneurship and provide hands‑on training: “We have a commercial kitchen…we are asking special use exemption to be able to use as a restaurant,” she said.

The planning department recommended approval but listed conditions the petitioner must meet before opening to the public. Planning staff asked for an updated state construction document review (CDR) approved by Aug. 1 and documentation to the enforcement officer, fire marshal and building commissioner; confirmation from the water department that supply and meter capacity (the record shows a 5/8‑inch meter on file) will support the use and installation or documentation of an RPZ/backflow prevention device; and that the petitioner work with the fire marshal and building official to bring the building’s fire suppression and alarm systems to applicable code standards.

Jeff Bruter, Michigan City fire marshal, told the board the building is more than a century old and that much of its sprinkler/suppression infrastructure predates modern standards: “That system is probably every bit of 90, if not older than that…they have 12 months to bring that fire suppression system up to code,” he said, noting a state variance had previously been granted with an August deadline.

Planning staff emphasized that, under the recommended conditions, the petitioner may continue to operate the building as a training kitchen or member cafeteria but must not operate as a restaurant open to the general public until all state and local fire, building and health requirements are met and documented to the enforcement officer. The staff report also called for parking consistent with code (six spaces per service/counter station plus one per employee) and a prohibition on catering or delivery to the general public until compliance is documented.

Public comment at the hearing was broadly supportive of the Magic Factory’s community role; supporters said the site addresses a west‑side “food desert” and offers training and entrepreneurship pathways. Neighbors raised concerns about parking and one obsolete sign on the building’s facade and asked the board to ensure conditions address such issues.

The board’s approval, recorded by roll call, was unanimous. The decision requires the petitioner to provide evidence that the state and local fire, building and health conditions have been satisfied before opening as a restaurant or offering catering/distribution to the public.

What’s next: The petitioner must provide the approved state CDR and documentation of required water and fire‑system upgrades to the enforcement officer by the deadlines set in the planning report; staff and the fire marshal will verify compliance before the restaurant may open to the public.