CROWN POINT | St. Anthony Medical Center has cleared nearly all the hurdles to securing its proposed public-private partnership with the city.
The Crown Point Economic Development Commission and City Council unanimously approved resolutions supporting the medical center's request to be reimbursed for $3 million in infrastructure improvements to its property at the Interstate 65/U.S. 231 interchange. St. Anthony officials said the improvements will benefit the entire community.
The council also unanimously approved issuing a $3 million bond through the Redevelopment Commission to finance or reimburse costs St. Anthony already has incurred for the work.
City Councilman Bob Corbin, who works for St. Anthony, stepped out of the room during the council's discussion and vote.
City Council members said the hospital's investment in the community will more than pay for Crown Point's contribution to the project.
St. Anthony's new medical complex is being built at the southeast corner of the interchange. The $100 million project is expected to bring 90 full-time equivalent jobs by the end of 2009, with an annual payroll of about $4.7 million, according to the Economic Development Commission's report.
The 83,500-square-foot facility will house outpatient services, including an urgent care center, sports medicine institute, physicians' offices and a medical imaging center.
Under St. Anthony's proposed agreement, Crown Point will use incremental tax revenues from the medical center's economic development area to finance infrastructure improvements to Mississippi Parkway. The parkway would link U.S. 231 and 129th Avenue.
"St. Anthony has gone above and beyond the minimum requirements of the ordinance," DVG Inc. engineer Jeff Ban said. "We are overbuilding the roadway and sewer lines to the capacity the hospital needs."
Other water, sewer, wetland mitigation and street improvements are listed in the economic development plan.
If the medical center does not complete the project and bring in revenue, it will not be reimbursed.
The Economic Development Commission also spoke briefly about the potential incentive agreement with developer Harlem Irving.
City Attorney Rich Wolter said it was "premature" to give specifics on the proposal, but it would come back before the commission Dec. 17.
The proposed bond is listed as an amount not to exceed $13 million.
Barnes and Thornburg attorney Rich Starkey said the bond would finance improvements in and around Lauth Property Group's land at the southeast corner of I-65 and U.S. 231. Harlem Irving proposed a retail shopping center with three anchor stores at the site.
Its option to buy the property expires Dec. 31.
