Owner given 60 days to report progress on fire-damaged garage near Chuck and Irene’s

The Hammond City board reviewed the status of a garage structure adjacent to Chuck and Irene’s and decided not to enter a demolition order at this time, instead scheduling a 60-day status review for April 2, 2026, and authorizing a city interior inspection to evaluate charred damage.

Unidentified Speaker 8, a city staff member, told the board that recent photos showed little visible progress on the garage. Owner Amada Gallardo said she has invested over $200,000 in renovation work at Chuck and Irene’s (including 22 upstairs rooms) and that the garage had been thrown in with the property; she asked for time to pursue financing and start work this year.

Unidentified Speaker 9 (inspector) explained that where interior elements are "charred," building-code requirements typically require replacement of affected sections and that a full-structure replacement would be substantially more expensive than the owner’s $100,000 roof estimate. Unidentified Speaker 8 recommended an interior inspection by Jordan so staff could provide an evaluation the owner could use in financing discussions; Gallardo agreed to the inspection.

Board members emphasized the need to see progress and set a status hearing for April 2, 2026. If the owner has not demonstrated a plan or financing by that check-in, the board said it would consider entering a demolition order to keep the enforcement process moving.

"We have invested over 200,000 in Chuck and Irene's ... we're probably 98% done," owner Amada Gallardo told the board, while staff urged an inspection to determine the scope of fire damage. The inspection report will inform whether repairs or a demolition order is appropriate.