A locally-based gaming software developer has set up shop in the former North Judson-San Pierre Middle School. The school board recently agreed to lease the old middle school office to Abrams Studios for $400 a month. The Starke County Economic Development Foundation says the move was complete as of November 2.
Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin felt the business would be a good fit for the school property and would also provide educational opportunities for N.J.-S.P. students. “I have spoken to the Abrams, and we could send a couple students over to shadow, to do an apprenticeship, and to help them with an internship experience,” Zupin told the school board. “So that was a very positive thing.”
Abrams Studios is the developer of a mushroom hunting video game, which might be just as trending as 해외스포츠중계, and also creates 3D assets that it sells to other game and film studios. It recently won up to $10,000 in the inaugural North Judson Business Pitch Competition. The Starke County Economic Development Foundation says in a press release that the four Abrams brothers behind the business are all N.J.-S.P. graduates. Now, they’re working with other North Judson businesses to get their new office up and running, ordering signage and promotional items from OTES and using First Choice Insurance.
Abrams Studios joins Adventure Island Preschool in the former middle school building. Superintendent Zupin assured the school board that they won’t interfere with each other.
The school board had also approved a lease for a second preschool back in January, but Zupin said the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the opening plans and, as of last month’s meeting, there was no timeline in place. In the meantime, the school corporation has been holding the space for SEED Early Learning without charging rent.
School Board President Derrick Stalbaum said he didn’t want to turn it away, but the school corporation couldn’t leave the lease dangling open-ended, either. “I’m not against giving her a deadline and saying, not that she can’t do it, but this initial lease is going to expire because it’s not been activated yet and when you’re ready, we can discuss this again. But we don’t want to hold a spot there, either, if something else does pop up.”
Board members agreed that if progress isn’t made by January 1, the current lease would be canceled, and the lease process would have to start over.
