The city of St. Joseph is amending a license agreement with Harbor Shores to allow The Inn at Harbor Shores to use a parcel of land along the river for special events and ceremonies.
Speaking to city commissioners this week, city attorney Laurie Schmidt said the parcel near the inn and in the vicinity of 800 Whitwam Drive was previously designated as the site of a future boater services building. While that project has yet to come to fruition, Harbor Shores is asking to add landscaping, a fence, and pavers to the grassy area so events like weddings can be held there.
“It would be an enhancement to the space based on what’s currently there,” Schmidt said. “It would be a little more usable, a lot more attractive, and still preserve their right to construct the boater services building in the future if they decide to do that.”
Inn at Harbor Shores Managing Partner Brady Cohen said the parcel under consideration is just a patch of grass that could be useful for people looking to get better photos.
“I think some of our biggest complaints are, obviously the beauty of the water, but what’s behind it when you get married is some of the gravel piles,” Cohen said. “So what we’re trying to do is position ourselves a little bit so that if we move to the right, it kind of looks right in between the bridges instead of having some of the rock piles in your pictures.”
Cohen said the boater services building is still planned, but with construction costs as they are, Harbor Shores would prefer to wait and make better use of the parcel for the time being.
Commissioners agreed to allow the license amendment with their resolution stipulating special decorations and seating placed there for ceremonies be removed when the proceedings are over and that the land always be accessible, except when reserved for a ceremony.
