[Southsider2k12]

Proud to say that CBTL scooped two of the three

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=18253

OPENING SOON: Dunkin' Donuts, Olive Garden, Sleep Inn
$1 million renovation is also slated for Franklin's Holiday Inn

MICHIGAN CITY - Three nationally recognized businesses are planning to locate along Franklin Street on the city's South Side, according to Joe Siegel, city zoning administrator.

Another project, a $1 million renovation of the Holiday Inn, 5820 Franklin St., will convert the hotel into a Clarion Hotel.

The city planning department has issued construction permits for a combination Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, going into a strip mall west of Lowe's; an Olive Garden, to be located between Ryan's Steak House and Office Max; and a Sleep Inn & Suites at Village Road and Franklin Street just north of IHOP.

The Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin Robbins is set to open in mid-November. Signs for the business are already in place at the new location. The stores typically hire between 20 and 30 employees, depending on hours of operation, according to McCall Bodi, communications manager for Dunkin' Brands Inc. The franchise owner is Amrit Patel.

The Olive Garden is expected to be open in April 2009, according to Mara Frazier, company media manager.

The 7,400 square-foot restaurant will be designed in the traditional Tuscan farmhouse style, modeled after the company's culinary institute in Italy's Tuscan area.

Frazier said the Michigan City restaurant will seat 247 and will employ between 150 and 165 people.

Tracy Wade, director of construction for Darden Restaurants Inc., parent company of Olive Garden, said construction at the Michigan City site is expected to begin today. An Indianapolis construction company will be the general contractor and skilled trades workers will be hired locally. Currently, Indiana has 16 Olive Garden restaurants.

The 63-unit Sleep Inn & Suites is owned by Dr. Shah Chandrakant. The standard timeline for construction is 12 to 15 months, according to Rocco Riveras, of corporate communications for Choice Hotels International, parent company for 10 hotel brands including Clarion Hotels.

A spokesperson for R&K Investment Corp. of La Porte, owner of the Holiday Inn property, said the property will be open while renovations are taking place. The guest rooms will be downsized from 164 to 117 upgraded rooms. The conference center and banquet rooms will also be upgraded, along with the property exterior. Damon's Restaurant will remain open.



Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.

[jb9152]

Nice! I hate having to drive to Chesterton to get my DD coffee. :-)

[Tim]

^^^

That's what I remember most about the Dunkin' Donuts on Franklin - the coffee was amazing. Puts Starbucks to shame a million times over. I want some right now!

[Roger Kaputnik]

You know what I think of OG.

Is the DD gonna be one where they actually make the doughnuts on-premise?

[jb9152]

You know what I think of OG.

Is the DD gonna be one where they actually make the doughnuts on-premise?

I would think it would have to be, since there are no others in close enough proximity to truck 'em in. But we'll know soon enough - I think they're open as of this past Friday.

[RexKickass]

It is my understanding that no Dunkin's actually make donuts on premise anymore.

[MC Born & Raised]

It is my understanding that no Dunkin's actually make donuts on premise anymore.

DD has outsourced all its donut production to Bolivia.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Oh, good! We can get turned on to alfajores loaded with monjar blanco, cafe con leche.