MonoSol gets OK to expand lot

 LA PORTE — The city of La Porte has granted MonoSol a variance on its public right-of-way to accommodate the extra employees expected from its upcoming expansion.

The change would allow MonoSol to extend its parking lot another 44 feet toward Genesis Drive so it can add a row of parking spaces and a driving lane.

Steve Gierke of Ross Group, the company handling the expansion, said MonoSol needs the extra spaces to accommodate the 130 total employees it expects to have once the expansion is complete. The variance would give it a total of 140 spaces. He said it’s required by law to have this many spaces for its employees.

The variance would be to the covenant MonoSol signed to be in the Thomas Rose Industrial Park.

The Board of Public Works voted unanimously to allow the change Wednesday, citing reasons the right-of-way was there for aesthetic purposes, not safety, and would still give at least 30 feet of separation from the roadway.

“We’re trading green space for jobs,” said member Tom MacLennan, “because if we can’t give them the parking spaces, they can’t bring in the employees.”

The company plans to add a 70,000-square-foot addition to its existing La Porte plant, with 60,000 feet devoted to production space for additional manufacturing equipment. This would create the need for 26 more positions and would comprise Phase 3 of the development.

In addition, the company is planning to build a 50,000-square-foot facility in La Porte at the same time as the expansion. When this space is utilized for production, it would necessitate about 37 more positions. This is Phase 4 of the project.

“We should send a sign to businesses that if they’d like to expand and have more jobs,” MacLennan said, “we’ll review the covenant with them.”

Mayor Kathy Chroback said she was pleased with the company’s efforts.

“It’s a very dynamic business,” she said. “It’s unbelievable what they’re doing.”

Source; Herald Argus