Among a crowd that included project team members, City of Whiting and Calumet College of St Joseph (CCSJ) officials, and potential residents, the ribbon was cut at The Illiana at the property location in Whiting, IN.
Approximately 50 people gathered to enjoy property tours, food, and beverages from Bulldog Brewing, and cut the ribbon at Holladay’s newest multifamily development. The Illiana, a public-private partnership with the City of Whiting, is in proximity to Calumet College of St. Joseph, downtown Whiting shopping and restaurants, and Lake Michigan.
“I really appreciate all the help we’ve had from Mayor Joe Stahura and the City of Whiting throughout this project,” said Mike Micka, VP-Development for Holladay Properties. “The City had the vision for what this are could be, and they acquired this site and got it ready for development. Without that vision, we wouldn’t be here today.”
Discussions for the Illiana began over three years ago with the City of Whiting and the college came on board soon after. CCSJ has master-leased 12 units for three years at the Illiana as part of an initative to provide housing opportunities for its students.
“We have probably 100 plus students that live in the local community and go to school just a half a mile down the block,” said Dr. Amy MCormack, President of CCSJ. “To be able to provide such a high quality residential experience for our students really is a game changer for us.”
The Illiana may also be considered a game changer for The City of Whiting, providing a piece of its downtown master plan. Each unit features granite countertops, 9-foot ceilings, kitchen islands, private balconies, two beds and two baths.
“Our idea was to create a master plan of development for the City and this is the first phase of that,” said Mayor Joe Stahura. “Hopefully we can get the next stage going and begin additional construction to keep this development going through the east end of town. We wanted to get this done efficiently and effectively, and at the end of the day, we figured that out and now we have this great commercial and residential space.”
The Illiana has 32 units featuring three different floorplans: the Whihala at 962 square feet, the Marquette at 905 square feet, and the Marina at 897 square feet. Unit price ranges from $1,550 to $1,600 per month depending on unit size and location by floor, and leases extend for either six months or 12 months. A nonrefundable tenant application fee of $50 also applies.
