Grande Avenue Vacation Approved

(posted May 13)

One of Allison Transmission's wishes was finally fulfilled on May 13 when the Metropolitan Development Plat Committee approved closing about 1,300 feet of Grande Avenue between its two plants on 10th Street.

Committee members voted 4-0 after listening to about 80 minutes of testimony. Plat committee member Sherry Seiwert's vote was not counted because she left prior to hearing all of the testimony.

Ice-Miller Attorney Tim Ochs, representing Allison Transmission, said closing Grande is an "enabler" for the company to remain competitive. Allison Transmission, a world-wide company, employs 2,900 people, but Ochs did not have the number employed at Plants 3 and 14.

The company cannot wait for the Speedway Redevelopment Commission to realign 10th Street before closing Grande Avenue. Ochs said the SRC and the city do not have the money now to move 10th Street. Ochs said the timing for 10th Street is "uncertain" and it could be as long as 10 years before construction could begin.

Although DPW supported the closing as part of Staff's favorable recommendation, DPW Engineer Nathan Sheets did not have information to verify traffic counts. The plat committee had to rely on Allison's contract engineer's estimate of 2,800 cars a day using Grande Avenue. He clarified that not all of the traffic is through traffic because Allison employees also use the street.

Greater Garden City Civic Association President Merri Anderson said city's reliance on a non-independent engineer highlighted the problem that the city does not have the resources to address petitions to verify findings of fact. The city has to rely on a "one-sided analysis." She stated the petitioners' information can be "manipulated."

Anderson spoke of her concern about emergency vehicles taking an additional 90 seconds to travel around the Allison plant to reach residents in the area once Grande is closed.

Ochs criticized Anderson, saying that she raised a new issue when addressing the emergency response issue. Ochs said that before the road is closed, Allison will build a cul-de-sac using the Plant 12 parking lot and install a $20,000 security camera system to be a good neighborhood to the residents.

Ochs came prepared with safety and engineering consultants, and an appraiser to address issues of security, road count and property values. Appraiser Will Stump said the road closure would not effect property values because they still have access and some use of Grande Avenue.

Allison Transmission makes transmissions for the Abrams Tank. Ochs said that plant safety could affect Allison's ability to compete for federal contracts and that competitors would make a pitch about Allison's vulnerability. "It becomes an issue of competition."

Ochs explained that closing Grande is just one step in Allison's $2 million safety proposal. The company is making $500,000 worth of improvements for the closing, including dedicating $142,000 worth of land for Holt Road realignment.

Anderson disagreed that safety is an issue for Allison or the gates to their plants would not be open now. She said that the GGCCA does not want anything bad to happen to Allison because it is located in the same neighborhood, but she disagreed that the vacation would be a public benefit.

Wayne Township Assessor Michael McCormack noted that Allison dedicated Grande Avenue to the city when the company purchased the land from the Grande family, and now they want it back. Grande is the dividing line between Speedway and Indianapolis, with Speedway maintaining the road.

Nancy Back, owner of Lyndhurst Lawnmower at 4220 W. Michigan Street, said the city is reducing road cuts to her property and the vacation will make it difficult for semi-trailers to deliver inventory. The trucks are too big to use the one-lane wide roads in the neighborhood just north of her to turn around. She said that Allison offered her verbal permission to use Plant 3's lot as a turn around until the cul-de-sac can be built; however Back wanted it in writing from the company.

Anderson asked the approximately 20 remonstrators to stand to show their support for rejecting the closing, but their numbers paled to the number of Allison employees who attended. Ochs said "they have not been ordered to be here. They are here on their own volition because they are concerned about their jobs." Ochs' comment raised laughter of doubts from the audience.

There was mumbling among Allison employees as to what time their bus would pick them up.

Charlie Patterson, developer of Gasoline Alley, said that shutting off Grande would hurt race teams and racing related businesses located on Gasoline Alley. He said that suppliers rely on Grande to have access to the businesses. The Hudnut administration linked the IMS to Gasoline Alley by building Polco Street in the 1980s. Patterson did not want to see his accomplishment destroyed.

Ochs replied that IMS Vice President Fred Nation said that only four Gasoline Alley businesses are involved with the IMS and IRL. Nation said it would not have a negative impact on the IMS.

Ice Miller also provides legal services for the IMS, and Ochs is representing Tony George on a personal land use issue. George is seeking a variance to build a guest house at 8030 Spring Mill Road. That hearing is set for June 2.

Ochs told the plat committee the final vacation process will require a public hearing conducted by the Speedway Town Council. The hearing will determine if Allison's $25,000 fee is a fair assessment of benefits for the road. The town maintains the road even though the City of Indianapolis owns the east side of the street.

Anderson said she sees this as a stepping stone for Speedway to annex Plant 14 since the company wants the road closed to create a unified campus. Anderson was also concerned that the company may not be here in five years due to its recent overseas investments in India and England.