With a few more steps, four projects received the green light from the city’s Plan Commission to begin putting shovels in the ground.
If it gets blessings from the city’s board of works and utilities board, Elite Sports Complex will be able to build a complex of soccer fields at 2945 Samuelson Road. The company will host weekend games at four fields at the front of the complex from April to mid-October, with four more fields available for tournament plan, company officials told the commission.
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The company will need the go-ahead from city officials for sidewalks, lighting for the parking lot and permanent garbage receptacles before it can break ground on the former farmland.
The Portage Christian School, at 3040 Arlene St., saw its site plan for a 10,722-square-foot addition approved by the commission at its Aug. 1 meeting. The school has had other additions in the past.
The newest addition, featuring 10 middle school and high school classrooms, a science lab and a teachers lounge, will change the shape of the school from an “L” shape to a “U” shape.
After getting approval on moving a fire lane farther from the building and other adjustments to the site plan, the school will need approval from the board of works for its planned restrooms before starting to build.
Ratner Steel, at 655 George Nelson Drive, won site approval for its plans to double the size of its plant. The company, which first began work in Portage four years, ago with the help of a tax abatement, will have to go before the utilities board before breaking ground, but a company official said the new addition will mean an additional 30 to 40 new jobs.
With approval from the utilities board, the company can begin the permitting process and begin hiring contractors.
The improved economy over the past several years has meant expansion plans for the Hidden Waters development can now enter its second phase. That phase will mean adding 27 lots in a subdivision directly west of its current location.
Michael Gonzalez is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.