Transport Properties’ Jim Kurtzweil and Tim McCahill, left, and Dorainia Bell

$40M warehouse distribution center coming to Gary's Buffington Harbor

Contributed By: The 411 News

With a proposal to bring a warehouse distribution center to Buffington Harbor, the Gary Redevelopment Commission, on Wednesday, approved the City of Gary’s sale of 78 acres of land to SP and TP Gary Development LLC, a joint venture led by Transport Properties.

Chris Harris, Director of the Gary Redevelopment Department said Transport Properties’ proposal includes a manufacturing component with capital improvements greater than $40 million. The sale price was $4.7 million.

“We’re leveraging our world class transportation infrastructure within our city limits,” Harris said. “This development is aligned with Mayor Melton’s vision of providing hundreds of jobs for our residents in Gary and the northwest Indiana region.”

Although the parcel has an address of 6200 Industrial Boulevard, the acres are in an industrial zone about a half-mile from the lakefront. It was once owned by Majestic Star Casinos; before that it was part of LeHigh Cement.

Pieces seem to be falling in place for Mayor Melton’s goal to make Buffington Harbor a hub for light manufacturing and logistics. It was part of his efforts as an Indiana state senator that helped convince legislators to approve the move of Majestic Star Casinos (now Hard Rock) to its land location at Burr Street and I-80/94.

Transport Properties’ Tim McCahill said they had purchased portions of the Majestic Star Casinos property 2 years ago. In March 2024, Gary-based Indiana Sugars announced it had purchased 77 acres of the Majestic Star Casinos property from Transport Properties to build its next generation headquarters and facilities.

“The lands at 6200 Industrial Boulevard are adjacent, so it's a natural extension,” McCahill said.

Harris said the project has an expected start date in the second quarter of this year and is expected to be completed in 14 months.

Before it filed bankruptcy in 2024, Fulcrum BioEnergy had an agreement with the city to build its Fulcrum Centerpoint plant on the site. Centerpoint was being planned as a plant that would convert household trash into jet fuel.

The Commission also heard from Dorainia Bell, a Gary resident and owner of the Parry-Shaw building at 717 Washington. Bell has owned the building since 2016. It was constructed in 1926 with commercial space on the ground floor and 2 floors of apartments above. Historical records show that a Plymouth car dealership once occupied the ground floor.

Bell wants to restore the building for senior living and storefronts. “An environmental study showed there was only one issue associated with it – a storage tank that has been resolved,” Bell said. “In December, I had the whole building cleaned out.”

Bell told the Commission, “I want to make sure that the building that’s next door to my building, when it is scheduled to be demolished, that it preserves my building.”

Bell said she would like help from the Commission to acquire vacant lots to use as parking space for her residents and space at either end for the addition of an elevator.

“What funding is available for projects such as mine, as far as federal funding?” Bell asked. “And then if there's any matching funds that I need to do, or what's the requirements to being qualified for historical grants?”


The Parry-Shaw building at 717 Washington Street

Editor's Note: In an earlier article, The 411 incorrectly associated Scannell Properties and FedEx with the sale of the lakefront property. We regret the error.

Story Posted:03/27/2025