By Jim Stinson / Post-Tribune staff writer (December 15, 2004)

VALPARAISO — A spiffy new parking lot will soon be ready to go behind Round the Clock Restaurant.

But it will still be a few days.

Parking lot striping is up, but sidewalk crossing entrances need to be built along Jefferson Street, according to Don McGinley, Valparaiso project coordinator.

A wrought-iron fence will also connect the masonry pillars, McGinley said.

When completed, there should be about 50 spots ready to use before Christmas Eve — although city officials will only say the lot should be open for business before Dec. 25.

Two of the spots will be for handicapped drivers. McGinley said the project cost about $213,000.

The project will end a long-awaited makeover of two old lots — one at the old Lockes Vending building and the other at the firefighter-owned “haunted house,” which was torn down in February.

Part of the old Lockes vending building was an existing parking lot, but it needed to be improved, McGinley said.

The Lockes building went through a condemnation process, and the city finally took ownership two months ago.

The old “haunted house,” at 208 Jefferson St., was used by the firefighters union before Halloween to help raise money for local charities.

The parking plan, part of the HyettPalma’s Downtown Action Agenda study, is to increase downtown parking. The lot project used funds from the city’s share of the county economic development income tax, according to City Councilman Chuck Williams, R-at large.

Reporter Jim Stinson can be reached at 477-6017 or jstinson@post-trib.com.