The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, Sept. 21, for Gateway Grove, the housing community being constructed at the site of the former Madison Elementary School and Gateway Education Center at 201 N. Union St. The project is being completed via a collaboration between G&G Hauling & Excavating Inc. and T.L. Jackson Construction Inc. From left: Chamber Member Relations Manager Scott Wiley and Chamber Ambassadors Scott Allison and Sandra Parra, Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. (KEDCo) Leadership Partner Suzie Light, project planner and development consultant and Innovative Communities President Tim Saylor, G&G employee Chase Meeks and Design Engineer Megan Carr, Kosciusko County Council President Ernie Wiggins, G&G Vice President Richard Groninger and President Cary Groninger, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer, T.L. Jackson CEO Brad Jackson, Superintendents Luke Jackson, Sam Jackson and Ben Jackson, Design Manager Gina Bono and President Bruce Jackson and Chamber Ambassadors Corbin Holtsberry, Scott Clay and Andrew Wade and President and CEO Rob Parker. InkFreeNews photos by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Part of the area’s housing problem is closer to being solved, thanks to Warsaw’s Gateway Grove.

On Tuesday, Sept. 21, the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon-cutting for the housing community, located at 201 N. Union St. at the site of the former Madison Elementary School and Gateway Education Center. Several of the homes in the first phase of the project are now up.

Completion of the community, which will eventually include more than 60 townhomes and single-family homes, is a collaboration between G&G Hauling & Excavating Inc. and T.L. Jackson Construction Inc. The Groninger Group is the site developer.

The project will also include a shared green space, a park with a playground, community fire pits, a dog park and a recreation center.

Cary Groninger of the Groninger Group and G&G Hauling & Excavating Inc. said project leaders are pleased with the progress so far.

“We’re super excited about this project,” he said. “I mean this project just nine months ago, there was an elementary school sitting here, so to go from an old abandoned school to finished homes in less than nine months is pretty incredible, so there’s just a real team effort of how we were able to put that together.”

He rehashed what home buyers can get out of living in Gateway Grove.

“Close to nature, close to town, close to home is kind of our tagline for the community, just you know that we’ve got all these grass areas and nature areas, you know you’re three blocks from downtown … we’re trying to work in the gymnasium that we saved out of the old school, to add that as an amenity to the community,” he said.

“It just was really cool to see how it all came together here, especially in the last six weeks is when all the paving and all that stuff happened, but I think it’s going to be a community that’s really going to set the bar for residential developments in the neighborhood or in the city here or in the county,” he added.

As of right now, he estimates starting the second phase of homes in spring of 2022 and having the whole project finished in three-five years.

Those who want to learn more about the homes’ specifics or inquire about purchasing a home should click here.

A look into the living room/kitchen of one of the homes.

A view of one of the homes’ master bedroom.