Griffith, IN Golf Course for sale (25 acres) = Public Gun Range?

[jedi]

I drive by the Griffith Golf Course (Griffith Golf Center | Griffith Golf Course) each day on my way to work. It's on Cline Ave right off 80/94. The flooding that occured in NWI 1-2 years ago had the entire area under water and prior to that there were several other times when parts of the course was underwater since it's next to the little calumet river. In any case I noticed a FOR SALE sign a few months back for the 25 acres of land. Last week I saw some ATVs on the course just running around and some people with several dogs playing in the old golf range area.


This got me thinking 2 things.
1) What is to stop someone from going there to shoot (handgun/rifle/shotgun) its a big area and no houses nearby. I ask since it appears other people are beginning to use it as "public land" and it is not.

2) What would it take for it t become public land or have the state buy it and make a public gun range. The area is big enough to hold several ranges 300 yards+ I would imagine. It would give NWI a nice biz espeically since most IL residents don't have a place to shoot and neither to LAKE county residents (norhern LAKE).

3) A commercial option (AKA priate gun club) would also be ideal but alas I don't have the capital and not sure who would.

So #2 seems like the way to go. Thoughts, suggestions, other region folks want to comment?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

1. Trespassing perhaps and zoning.

2. Why would the State of Indiana take it and lose the property taxes and assume yet another expense? Who would change the zoning if not properly zoned? The AG?

3. Buy the land, pay the taxes, go fight the BZA over having it zoned Ag so you can shoot.

All it takes is money!

 

[shooter521]

I don't have any answers for you, but turning it into a shooting range would be an excellent idea, and invokes one of my favorite sayings...

"a golf course is a waste of a good rifle range."

 

[Jubbie]

After that whole BB gun shooting out windows fiasco a couple years ago I doubt they'd be up for this idea. Plus would you really want to go shooting after it rains and floods that area? They'll probably develop something there that'll make it flood a lot of homes/businesses instead of that open field.

 

[jedi]

After that whole BB gun shooting out windows fiasco a couple years ago I doubt they'd be up for this idea.

Are who are "they"? I'm not being a smart butt just wanted to know who the "powers" are who could make or not make this happen. Would it be the Lake County ??? whateverboard, the Griffith town board, the Indiana DNR???, etc.. Who it require ou local IN house rep to try and push this. Who?

Plus would you really want to go shooting after it rains and floods that area?

Hum.. I could see how this could be used for special force on force training when it floods or other type of "swap enviorment" training for the local PDs, offer special event classes to deal with shooting, walking, dealing with flood type enviroments, etc.. The flooding is not a bad thing but another way to make $$$ while offering a unique type of class.

They'll probably develop something there that'll make it flood a lot of homes/businesses instead of that open field.

The area of the left where the Denny's and Burger King never got re-developed. The old BK now is just an abadnoned building an the Denny's the stae took over and also abadnned. So I don't see anyone (commerical wise) talking over this area anytime soon especialy since it would require a lot of dirt to elevate the entire area to ensure no additional flooding.

@ the treaspasisng comments
Yes I do suspect those ATVs and the family with the dogs wer treaspassing. However the owner(s) are no where to be seen and there are no signs posted of DO NOT TREASPASE so why not use the land? Yes if the cops come then you leave otherwise

Not sure on what the local ordinace would be. Anyone know? I know there is a private club range on the other side of Griffith that has a skeet shot range and they blast away with their SG there.

 

[Bill B]

There are two clubs on the east side, Izaak Walton and LCF&W. I'm not sure if LCF&W has a shooting range though.
The golf course is definitely in the flood plain as the levy was built south of it.
Any idea how much the asking price is?

 

[silentvoice71]

well heres a question i have is there a city sewer run off or any type of sewer system there..... A fit the locals might have is the lead problem.

 

[Bill B]

There is a sewer main by the road, but no drains.

 

[JR50]

The neighbors don't like noise. They got the Town Council to deny the owner's plan to stage motocross races there. They'd go nuts with a range!

 

[jedi]

There are two clubs on the east side, Izaak Walton and LCF&W. I'm not sure if LCF&W has a shooting range though.
The golf course is definitely in the flood plain as the levy was built south of it.
Any idea how much the asking price is?

I went to one of the Izzak Walton open houses backlast year but did not join. They primarly focus on just sheet shooting. They do have 50' or 75' handgun/rifle range (2 lanes) on the site that looked like an afterthought. The benches were real old looking, grass overrunning the area, cickenwire to put targets and that was about it. The range rules said you can only shot while sitting at the bench. How you suppose to fire a handgun like that? Not sure if ony .22 rifle could be fired or other types.

Di not get any feel for the group and none of the members knew if anyone even used the range. They were more intersted in just skeet shooting. Competitive shooting is not my thing. I would like more training and the ability to practice more "real world skills" force on force, one hand shooting, shooting under preassure, while holding bags, etc.. I'm not knocking competitive shooting but it's not for me. I think it gives you a false sence of firearm survival knowledge.

As for the asking price not sure. The sign has a number which I have not been able to take down. Hard to drive and write at the same time. The sign does say 25 acres "divisable".



@silentvoice71
The problem is that the entire area where the golf course is at, north where the highway was build, south where the houses behind the KMart are at, West where the hotels are at, and East was/are "swamp like areas". As the area has progresses they just "paved" the area but mother nature has a way of reminding the area that it is "HER LAND". The US Army corps of engineer has been working on the problem for 10+ years and they have added more dirt, levells (??sp??) and pump houses to the area which have worked for the most part but mother nture just can not be stopped at some times.

So unless they build a 100' tall wall along the river and elevate the golf course it's still going to flood at some times. If they elevate the area it's going to cause trouble for the homes and biz to the south.

 

[jedi]

The neighbors don't like noise. They got the Town Council to deny the owner's plan to stage motocross races there. They'd go nuts with a range!

So perhaps I should do another rain dance and have the neighbors get flooded some more hu?

If the state/county took over would the town council have a say?

 

[melensdad]

I don't see it happening, the land is too valuable for development. My representative has been meeting with the Town of Highland for an 11 acre parcel on Kennedy Ave that the Town wants developed, it is along I-94 just like the Griffith Golf Center. The Town wants a large medical or professional plaza on the 11 acres and wants it to adjoin a large hotel complex (think Radisson Star Plaza type complex). The whole corridor there is prime for re-development.

If Obama/Oprah/Daley would have gotten the Olympics for Chicago I can tell you that that land value would have been DOUBLED over night. Now the projects are still under consideration and still will very likely be accomplished, but at a slower rate.

That golf course would be prime property for a hotel/mixed retail complex. The land is low, they would need to bring in some fill, work on drainage, but it is too close to Chicago and I-94 for anything less valuable.

JMO

 

[jedi]

Well if you have $3.5 million the land an be yours.
25 Acres retail based on this website listing.
PageException

Now for $299,000 you can get 9.95 acres on the other side of town.
400 s Lillian, Griffith IN 46319 | Homes.com

That could still make a good private range I guess.

Hum... perhaps I just need to pray to the lottery GODs to win the powerball 25 mill and just buy the land myself and make it one big privae gun club.

 

[truegrit]

The property was sold once but the pending sale fell through after it flooded again last year but with the flood improvements Highland made on the west side of the Calumet the Griffith side was left out and it creates a bottle neck right their at the course so until that's fixed and whatever enviromental damage is cleaned up it will probably be left as a flood basin

 

[Timjoebillybob]

This got me thinking 2 things.
1) What is to stop someone from going there to shoot (handgun/rifle/shotgun) its a big area and no houses nearby. I ask since it appears other people are beginning to use it as "public land" and it is not.

Municode.com | Online Library

Sec. 46-28. Firearms. (a) No persons shall fire or discharge any gun, pistol, or other firearms, or any other weapon operated by means of any explosive charge or by springs or air power, or other means, or any other device having force directed by the user thereof within the town, except upon premises used by a duly licensed or approved shooting gallery, gun or rifle club, or archery range, or any program of organized training or practice in the use of firearms or other weapons approved and supervised by the chief of police, or such officer or other person as the chief of police shall appoint for such purpose. However, it shall not be unlawful to fire or shoot a bow and arrow, so long as the use thereof is restricted to areas at least 1,000 feet distance from any building whether occupied or unoccupied or within 1,000 feet distance of any public street, alley, or highway.

 

[jedi]

I'm not sure if LCF&W has a shooting range though.

What is LCF&W? Is there a website?

 

[Bill B]

What is LCF&W? Is there a website?

OOPS, it's Lake County Fish and Game Lake County Fish & Game

No shooting, just archery.

 

[stoyan79]

I agree, it will not be worth spending that kind of money on prime land for a gun range, there is still plenty of cheap land in the area that would be more ideal.

Well if you have $3.5 million the land an be yours.
25 Acres retail based on this website listing.
PageException

Now for $299,000 you can get 9.95 acres on the other side of town.
400 s Lillian, Griffith IN 46319 | Homes.com

That could still make a good private range I guess.

Hum... perhaps I just need to pray to the lottery GODs to win the powerball 25 mill and just buy the land myself and make it one big privae gun club.

 

[jedi]

I agree, it will not be worth spending that kind of money on prime land for a gun range, there is still plenty of cheap land in the area that would be more ideal.

Perhaps? But at least in my mind I was thinking of more than just a gun range. More like a Gun Center. You could have an several outdoor ranges, an indoor one, a firearm shop, repair/built shop, conference center, hotel for those doing on-site extensive sveeral day training, etc.

 

[gunfun101]

I have a lot of family in Griffith while I was raised in the south on a small farm. They all loved coming down and going shooting and always said "wish we had a place like this to shoot at".