Renovations will soon begin on the Maritime One building at 101 France St. and some interior demolition work is already underway, Downtown Development District Director Davis Rhorer says. According to a plan review application filed with the Department of Public Works, the finished building will include 17 multifamily units on the second and third floors of the building. A parking garage is planned for the first floor.
According to the application, renovations will cost about $700,000 and cover 35,000 square feet. Hammond investor Darryl Smith, who bought the building in June for $1.1 million, did not return calls for comment on the project by this afternoon’s deadline.
Rhorer says the project qualifies for historic tax credits, but has not heard whether Smith has applied for them. He adds the project is another in a string of residential developments going on downtown that could bring more residents to the area than ever before.
“We have people living in areas that people haven’t lived in before,” Rhorer says. “Catfish [Town] was a series of warehouses. You have to be cognizant of residential needs.”
The brick Maritime One building was originally a warehouse and, in the 1980s, was part of the Catfish Town mixed-use development. In the 1990s, it was used for office space and for a time housed the offices of LED. It has been vacant for several years.
Other recently filed applications for commercial projects of note include:
— Newk’s Eatery filed an application for renovations for a location in the Northgates neighborhood at 3332 Lake St. Gary Brem, the director of development, says if permitting and construction go smoothly, Newk’s is set to open in February. Renovations include squaring out the floor plan with 333 additional square feet and adding a patio. The building was formerly occupied by a Gatti’s Pizza.
— Jak Kunstler filed an application for Government Street Bistro, a new business at 3869 Government St. The project includes a coffee shop called Chicory Coffee and will be completed in a couple of phases, Kunstler says.
— St. George Catholic School filed a permit to build a new assembly hall for $11.5 million.
— Walk-On’s Enterprises filed a permit for the Happy’s Irish Pub expansion into the neighboring building at 132 Third St. Renovations are estimated to cost $275,000, according to the application. —Kelly Connelly
