Centerpiece of Downtown redevelopment?

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/glitzy-nightclub-to-spur-entertainment-rebirth-in-downtown-hammond/article_c4635f9f-e853-5153-b928-f53526d6b56e.html?mode=story

Quote:

Glitzy nightclub to spur entertainment rebirth in downtown Hammond?

By Vanessa Renderman vanessa.renderman@nwi.com, (219) 933-3241 | Posted: Friday, November 25, 2011 12:00 am | (20) Comments

AquaVor, which is being billed a posh nightclub, will open next month on Hohman Avenue in downtown Hammond with parties hosted by actor Mario Lopez and Hollywood gossip blogger Perez Hilton.

HAMMOND | With a mirrored barrel ceiling, tanks of roving sharks and an on-site bakery peddling liquor-infused cupcakes, AquaVor night club promises to bring a new flavor to Northwest Indiana.

Set in downtown Hammond at 5260 Hohman Ave., the club is part of an entertainment district revitalization effort, said Ray Rapchak, one of the club owners.

"There's nothing like it at all (in the area)," he said.

Nearly $2 million was invested to convert the space into a nightclub. The upgrades will be done in time for a Dec. 29 grand opening, he said.

Along with guest DJs, actor Mario Lopez and Hollywood gossip Perez Hilton will host parties the opening weekend.

The smoke-free club will be open from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Off-duty police will complement security inside and outside the club, which will have a security room and dozens of cameras wired throughout the building. A strict dress code will be enforced, and there is a mandatory coat check.

Instead of driving to downtown Chicago for a night club vibe, people can come to Hammond, he said.

AquaVor will have VIP areas, bottle service, an upstairs area for private parties, a fiber optic chandelier, a 50-foot main bar and a dance floor as the focal point.

General manager Phil Pardus said the club will offer a high-class atmosphere, with hostesses greeting patrons and a red carpet rolled out on opening weekend.

The club personality will change every few months, to keep things news, Rapchak said.

"A nightclub has to constantly evolve," he said.

The building once functioned as an adult novelty store and, decades earlier was a Chinese restaurant frequented by author Jean Shepherd and depicted in the Christmas dinner scene in the 1983 movie "A Christmas Story."

Rapchak said the nightclub is only a part of his efforts to bring jobs and businesses back to downtown Hammond, the city where he was raised.

AquaVor is expected to employ 70 people.

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

Isn't this the new place across the alley from the Hammond Charter School?

Interesting.... does anyone know anything about it and or it's managment?

$2,000,000 investment is a sizable chunk of change whether it is all cash investment or based upon loans.

I don't ever remember this being a chinese diner or porn emporium.

Freedom Fighter · **Joined:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 8:13 am **Posts:** 475

To expend two million dollars on a night club in Hammond, which will only be open part-time, is a rather foolish investment, IMO. Eighteen hours a week for business, and eighteen hours a week for employees, according to the business hours listed in the Times for this new venture. It would be interesting to find out all parties involved as partners. The location of this new establishment is right across the alley from the new Charter School. Those in the know have no roadblocks for variances, yes? State statutes apparently are only for the common folk.
As for the previous occupying businesses, in my 6 decades in Hammond, and a frequent shopper in the downtown glory days, there has never been a Chinese restaurant at that local. I frequented Cam Lan on Sibley. As for the "Adult" novelty store, I seem to recall one being downtown. Whether this is the location of this former business, I do not know.To the best of my recollection, the location of the new night club has been vacant of businesses for at least the past 30 years, quite possibly a longer time than that.
To put an inquiry out there, if I recall correctly, was not Louis Karrubus the owner of that building, and the new parking area for the Charter School directly behind that block, where the new night club and the LaSalle are located?

board monkey · **Posted:** Sun Nov 27, 2011 8:44 pm

The location is where the "Good Stuff Store" use to be located. This property is next to the LaSalle Hotel and is owned by Rapchak. not Louie. To start it will only be Thurs.- Sat., but word is hours will be expanded later once it gets going.

http://www.aquavornightclub.com

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

Freedom Fighter wrote:

To expend two million dollars on a night club in Hammond, which will only be open part-time, is a rather foolish investment, IMO. Eighteen hours a week for business, and eighteen hours a week for employees, according to the business hours listed in the Times for this new venture. It would be interesting to find out all parties involved as partners. The location of this new establishment is right across the alley from the new Charter School. Those in the know have no roadblocks for variances, yes? State statutes apparently are only for the common folk.

As for the previous occupying businesses, in my 6 decades in Hammond, and a frequent shopper in the downtown glory days, there has never been a Chinese restaurant at that local. I frequented Cam Lan on Sibley. As for the "Adult" novelty store, I seem to recall one being downtown. Whether this is the location of this former business, I do not know.To the best of my recollection, the location of the new night club has been vacant of businesses for at least the past 30 years, quite possibly a longer time than that.
To put an inquiry out there, if I recall correctly, was not Louis Karrubus the owner of that building, and the new parking area for the Charter School directly behind that block, where the new night club and the LaSalle are located?

Phil Pardus, per the article, is reported to be the manager.... is this the same guy who ran into some trouble as a gary cop?

There is an article found in the National Association for Civillian Oversight of Law Enforcement on a gary cop named Pardus. http://www.nacole.org/gary-police-chief-wants-suspended-cop-terminated submitted by admin

another article can be found at http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-0FF67C4288196F20.html

if this is the same guy, you can't begin to make this s*** up.

Quote:

Pardus told Charbonneau he did not violate any rules or break any laws by his actions. 'This case was prompted by multiple civil lawsuits I have filed against the city,' Pardus said.

A decision on another departmental charge involving Pardus' alleged mishandling of a pistol will be delivered by the commission at its Aug. 4 meeting; Pardus has at least one other disciplinary matter pending. Pardus has been on leave since October after Watson received a psychiatric evaluation performed on the 13-year veteran. Watson ordered him to turn in his gun, radio, badge and bulletproof vest.

Since then, Merrillville police have recorded three incidents involving Pardus, Watson's verified complaint states. Those officers saw Pardus wearing shirts with 'police' written on it; he was carrying handcuffs and wearing a gun. One officer observed Pardus with a gold badge on his waist, the documents state.

On Oct. 31, Merrillville officers refused to take a man into custody whom Pardus had arrested after seeing him with drugs in the bathroom at Angelo's Sicilian Cart. The officers told Pardus they couldn't assist him, and said he would have to call a Gary squad car. Patrolman James Bogner told Internal Affairs Investigator Cpl. Anthony Titus that Pardus 'just erupted' and began swearing. 'I then told him that as a police officer you have to do your job,' Bogner said he told Pardus

From their web page.

http://www.aquavornightclub.com/index1.html a link to their web page.

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

http://www.newspaperarchive.com/SiteMap/FreePdfPreview.aspx?img=113682360

Gary looks at
leave policy
Suspension with pay may be premature
GARY, Ind. (AP) â€” The use of
administrative leave for police
officers being investigated for violation
of department policy is premature
punishment, Gary Police
Civil Service Commission members
say.

Commission members, led by
attorney Eric 0. Clark, questioned
Chief Douglas Wright about the
practice of placing officers on
leave before charges have been
filed.

"It's technically a suspension
with pay," Clark said. "The commission
is getting complaints
about this, and they're the ones
who make up the rules. They want
to know what it's all about,"
Wright said he has placed officers
on paid leave while a thorough
investigation can be conducted to
assure fair treatment.

"We're out to clear them if we
can," Wright said at a meeting
Thursday. "Why would I want to
make the department look bad?"
Fraternal Order of Police President
Gerald Clayton said officers
placed on leave are being punished
before a ruling can be made.
"You're supposed to be innocent
until proven guilty, but in this case
you're guilty until proven innocent,"
he said. "There's a better
way of doing this."

Two officers who have been on
administrative leave for three
months argued the measure is punishment
because they cannot work
overtime in the department and
are unable to obtain security-related
jobs.

City attorney Rebecca Wyatt
said overtime is not a "right" of
police officers on the department.
But Patrolman Phil Pardus, 27,
who has been on paid leave since
January because the chief complained
about a raid Pardus participated
in, said his overtime
accounted for about $5,000 per
year.

"I have three children," he said.
"I counted on that money."
The department has 120 days
from the date of an incident to file
formal charges against an officer.

Tiger1 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 7:55 am

WOW !!! It looks like there will be adult entertainment. What the heck is going on, that we have to accept this type of business? I am totally appalled.

IMO, this type of business, welcomed by the administration, is a total reflection of the type of administration we have in Hammond. What a shame this has brought to our city !!! :evil:

mattlap · **Joined:** Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:24 am **Posts:** 2529

Tiger1 wrote:

WOW !!! It looks like there will be adult entertainment. What the heck is going on, that we have to accept this type of business? I am totally appalled.

IMO, this type of business, welcomed by the administration, is a total reflection of the type of administration we have in Hammond. What a shame this has brought to our city !!! :evil:

Where on earth do you get adult entertainment? It's a dance club. He is opening a sports bar across the street.

hammonite · **Joined:** Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:58 pm **Posts:** 762

Yea, sure looks like a dance club. Dance clubs are well known for brining problems to an area. Will this open a new market for drug dealing and prostitution? At least Hammond does not have to import those trades. .

I am sure they will have a no carry out policy, that doesn't stop people from brining their own, drinking outside and then leaving the trash.

This guy is already saying they will have Police working the club. I certainly hope there is not one Hammond cop in the mix, litigation will be around the next corner and hammond residents will wind up paying for it.

While this was opening, there was not one word from this cit hall about this bar.

If it fails, Is a strip club next?

The parters in the club have to be the who's who of Hammond, NWI.

Tiger1 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:46 pm

mattlap wrote:

Tiger1 wrote:

WOW !!! It looks like there will be adult entertainment. What the heck is going on, that we have to accept this type of business? I am totally appalled.

IMO, this type of business, welcomed by the administration, is a total reflection of the type of administration we have in Hammond. What a shame this has brought to our city !!! :evil:

Where on earth do you get adult entertainment? It's a dance club. He is opening a sports bar across the street.

Are you blind, or just refuse to see the ads for this place??? :shock:

Tiger1 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:47 pm

hammonite wrote:

Yea, sure looks like a dance club. Dance clubs are well known for brining problems to an area. Will this open a new market for drug dealing and prostitution? At least Hammond does not have to import those trades. .

I am sure they will have a no carry out policy, that doesn't stop people from brining their own, drinking outside and then leaving the trash.

This guy is already saying they will have Police working the club. I certainly hope there is not one Hammond cop in the mix, litigation will be around the next corner and hammond residents will wind up paying for it.

While this was opening, there was not one word from this cit hall about this bar.

If it fails, Is a strip club next?

The parters in the club have to be the who's who of Hammond, NWI.

Heck, it is close to a strip club now, looking at the advertisement pictures. :evil:

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

Tiger,

there can be only one answer. In my opinion, despite the crap flying around matt, he has got to be receiving some sheckles of silver from the Chairman.

Tiger1 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 28, 2011 9:11 pm

justcallmetommy wrote:

Tiger,

there can be only one answer. In my opinion, despite the crap flying around matt, he has got to be receiving some sheckles of silver from the Chairman.

Judas Iscariot comes to mind. :shock:

mattlap · **Joined:** Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:24 am **Posts:** 2529

justcallmetommy wrote:

Tiger,

there can be only one answer. In my opinion, despite the crap flying around matt, he has got to be receiving some sheckles of silver from the Chairman.

Tommy,

You have claimed for a while that Ray Rapchak must be donating to McDermott. You have all his campaign finance reports so why not find it if he is? I looked at the pre-primary and the end of the year for last year and could not find him anywhere in it.

I also find it funny that George Janiec actually had his campaign headquarters (if you could call it that) in a building owned by Ray Rapchak. Seems very odd if Ray was a McDermott supporter doesn't it?

I have been talking for more than 4 years about how downtown Hammond would take off if developed as a cluster of nightspots and restaurants. Long before this project took off. I've stated that downtown Hammond needed things that would draw people downtown in the evenings and weekends if it stood any chance. ANY endeavor like this is a long shot and carries a ton of risk. IF his sports bar and nightclub take off and Raymundo Garcias restaurant finally opens ..it's a start with the events being held at the galleries downtown. Charter Schools and City Hall isn't going to cut it.

Ray Rapchak has quite a bit of money in real estate and other businesses. He bought an apartment complex in Anderson, IN for $1.2 Million dollars just last December. He's also owned a business in Crown Point for the better part of 2 decades. It seems he is a pretty savvy businessman and had the money to invest. That's all I know about him from the research I did last year when it was first discussed. He also owns the Curves Fitness that moved downtown from one building he owns to another.

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

Matt, how smart you are vs how nieve.

matt... i surely believe the two have never met.

I am sure matt you have studied managment systems. Everything is connected, overlaps, everything.

Of course, in final summary matt, just my opinion.... hypothetically of course.

Matt, btw, CR contributed a couple grand and in the course of $599,148.47 collected by the CTE, it is not only their constitutional right, but a nice way to say thanks to their candidate.

Northwest Indiana Discussion

Centerpiece of Downtown redevelopment?

Who is online