Retail uptick spurs transformation of Mishawaka hotel into apartments: Here are the details

Representatives of Balaji Hospitality Group LLC and Smita V. Patel recently came before the Plan Commission on behalf of The Barak Group in its request to convert the hotel into a 60-unit studio apartment building in the project's first phase, with plans to build a second building on the four-acre site for 46 one- and two-bedroom apartments in the future.

The commission voted to recommend the rezoning from C-1 general commercial and C-7 auto-oriented restaurant commercial to R-3 multi-family residential to move the plans forward. The Common Council will now take up the measure.

The Barak Group plans on purchasing the hotel from Balaji Hospitality Group LLC for the new development. There is no timeline for when the work would begin, officials for the developer said.

A Dunkin Donuts restaurant currently is under construction on the tract east of the Mishawaka Inn. Also, a Wendy's drive-thru restaurant is being built across the street from the hotel.