HOBART| The Hobart City Council granted final approval Wednesday to a planned unit development zoning classification for Graycor Industrial Constructors.

Paul Thurston, a representative of Indiana Land Becknell Investors, who also represented Graycor at the meeting, is hoping Graycor gives him final approval to move the proposed project to Hobart in Northwind Crossings.

"I hope to hear something this week from Graycor," Thurston said. "We've put our best foot forward, and we're optimistic they'll come to Hobart."

Graycor, which also received similar approval to move some of its consolidated operations to Portage, is scheduled to appear before the Portage City Council on Sept. 7.

That's when Portage council members will vote on a resolution affirming tax abatements to be given to Graycor for equipment and to Holladay Properties, owner of AmeriPlex, for the building.

The Hobart Plan Commission already has granted final approval to allow a storage yard for explosives at the Hobart site.

And a public hearing on a proposed tax abatement for the project is set to go before the Hobart City Council on Sept. 15, City Planner A. J. Bytnar said.

Graycor is expected to make the choice between Hobart and Portage soon -- once some final hurdles are overcome by the Homewood, Ill.-based company, Graycor President Brad Teckenbrock said last week.

"We've not made a decision yet. We're still evaluating the options," he said. "We're certainly narrowing the gap and getting closer to make a decision."

Graycor plans to consolidate some operations based in Illinois and Portage and build an office and metal fabrication shop at either AmeriPlex at the Port, off Ind. 249 in Portage, or a similar operation at Northwind, east of Mississippi Street, in Hobart.

The company initially will employ 45 people with annual salaries in the $90,000 range and generate about $100,000 in annual property tax revenue from the storage yard alone.