La Porte redevelopment commission approves extension for HRKDE LLC purchase agreement after federal and survey delays

Bert Cook, executive director of the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership, told the La Porte Redevelopment Commission on Dec. 17 that federal and site-preparation delays have pushed closing timelines for the HRKDE LLC project and asked the commission to extend its purchase and development agreements to the end of next year.

Cook said a federal government shutdown stalled SBA 504 loan processing and that an expired property survey will take about two months to complete. "We extended the both agreements to the end of next year, fully expecting that to be more than enough time to get this completed and under construction," Cook said. He also noted some environmental reporting must be redone because those studies are valid for one year.

Commissioners discussed the practical effects of the delays. A member said a two-month survey timeline is now common; Cook confirmed additional rework of environmental documents was required because of the elapsed time. The commission then voted to approve the extension of the purchase and development agreements for HRKDE LLC; the motion passed by voice vote with a 4-0 tally reported by the chair.

The extension keeps the existing terms in place while giving the project team time to complete loan underwriting, surveys and environmental updates required for closing. Cook said city and developer work already underway should put the project on track for construction in late spring or early summer 2026, weather permitting.

No additional financial commitments by the commission were recorded in the meeting minutes. The commission did not set a specific new closing date beyond the end-of-year extension; staff indicated they will fill in dates once the outstanding items are complete.