The proposed redevelopment of the Reaper's Realm site in Hammond has some residents worried about a possible increase in traffic.
During last week's Mayor's Night Out event, Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. said the city is in the process of acquiring the property at Calumet and I-80/94 through eminent domain. "The Meyer family, which has owned that property for its entire existence, they didn't want to sell it to us, but they're not putting money into the property, either," McDermott said. "So we think that our city would be best served if we took that property and redeveloped it."
He compared the project to Oxbow Landing near the expressway's Kennedy Avenue exit, where an apartment complex was replaced with motels, restaurants and offices.
But a nearby resident worried that replacing the haunted house could lead to more vehicles heading west on 177th Street into their neighborhood. Mayor McDermott promised to take steps to prevent that.
"Your neighborhood, right over there off of Harrison right by the haunted house, I'm going to protect that neighborhood from that traffic," McDermott told the resident. "But it's going to impact you, though. That means maybe it's a one-way. Maybe you could only go to Calumet from there, and to come into your neighborhood, you have to come off of Harrison."
He pointed to Cabela's on Indianapolis Boulevard, where the city declined to allow a rear exit to Northcote Avenue but did agree to a gated emergency access driveway.
City council member Bill Emerson called the acquisition of the Reaper's Realm site "good news" for the city of Hammond. "Near 80/94, this will be fantastic for the city, and I'm very happy about it," Emerson said. "I smile a lot because it's just so great."
This is expected to be the last season at the location for the long-running haunted house.
