Politics & Government
Local Roads Could Close for Menards Expansion
Menards thinks bigger is better—but is that the case for residents if the expansion would mean local roads would close?
Area drivers might have to take a detour, if plans for a larger Menards lead to the closure of two local roads.
Homewood and Thornton have proposed closing Brown Derby Road and a portion of 175th Street to accommodate the larger store, reports Times of Northwest Indiana.
The Menards currently at 17545 S. Halsted St. can't hold all the goods the home improvement superstore offers—but would need to take over 175h Street and Brown Derby Road to make way for a bigger store.
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Thornton would be open to a tax-sharing agreement with Homewood, for the intent of keeping Menards in town, according to the report, but Village President Richard Hofeld has said Menards hasn't said it will leave. Thornton owns Brown Derby Road, and the two municipalities share ownership of 175th Street.
An intergovernmental agreement with Thornton would give them a share of the new, larger store.
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Thornton Village Manager Beckman has said that "No, it's not the convenient thing," for residents, but that it's "expanding the financial future of Homewood and it's also expanding the financial future of Thornton."
The larger store—with construction not expected to begin until next year would mean more sales tax revenue for Homewood, Hofeld has stressed.
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