MIchigan City Development Thread! |
MIchigan City Development Thread! |
Mar 3 2015, 01:29 PM
Post
#1
|
|
Getting Comfortable Group: Members Posts: 42 Joined: 22-January 13 Member No.: 1,242 |
I think that we should have a thread where we can keep track of and discuss projects that are under construction, planned or proposed for the city. We can also exchange ideas about what types of developments Michigan City needs to attract to be competitive in the region. I am sort of a development nerd and the idea comes from 'Skyscraperpage' where the site is devoted to major construction projects from around the world.
Current projects and proposals: Michigan City Police Station Lifeworks Business Park Construction on South Franklin Realignment of Washington and Pine New activities center/pavilion at Washington Park U.S. 421 Overpass U.S. 12 bridge Franklin Street Bridge LMGIS Art Space Proposed "up-scale" hotel for North End Former Memorial Hospital Site Trail Creek Corridor Beautification of Nipsco Cooling Tower Nipsco "Scrubber" NICTD Track Realignment We have a lot of development in the works. I've always felt that Michigan City is a sleeping giant that has the potential to dominate the region. We have had multiple developers envision high-rises and mid-rises in the city at various locations. I can remember back in 2006-2007 a developer from Chicago wanted to demolish Galveston Steakhouse and erect a 13 story "S" shaped condo on the site before the economy collapsed. Another developer proposed two 20 story condo/hotel buildings for the former Memorial Hospital site and Lohan-Anderson recommended 3-24 story condos for Trail Creek next to Blue Chip. The possibilities are endless but the city must rid itself of the terrible NIMBY'ism which harms our growth. I hope to hear of other projects in the city that people have knowledge of that I am unaware of and welcome even rumors. For instance, I have a friend with ties to sources in the city and he has stated that they are working towards Marquette Mall being demolished with the city claiming emanate domain. Whether it is substantial I don't know but it is certainly conceivable and necessary. He also claimed that the mall doubled the rent of Applebee's and that is why they exited the city. I hope Michigan City does not work to just become Valparaiso redux which I fear is the idea. Michigan City has a unique opportunity to become more South Bend like with major developments. We have almost double the Sq. Mileage of Valpo and La Porte. The problem is Michigan City is largely underdeveloped. We have large swaths of land primed for mixed use projects. Cleveland Ave. for one has the potential to be even more prominent with a greater density than Franklin Street yet it has attracted no interest from what I can glean. The sign for "Cleveland Crossing" has been up for 8-10 years. I would also like to see Michigan City attract more authentic ethnic restaurants and other businesses to give more of a big city feel by offering something for everyone and widening the demographics rather than just being a high-end mono-cultural boutique city like Valpo. A market research company suggested Michigan City also attract a college campus somewhere downtown to give a "university feel" to the North End. Either PNC, Ivy Tech or I.U. That would be an excellent idea to bolster growth. |
Dec 3 2016, 03:01 AM
Post
#2
|
|
Getting Comfortable Group: Members Posts: 42 Joined: 22-January 13 Member No.: 1,242 |
Here's an updated list of projects under contruction or proposed for Michigan City. Many from the first page have been completed.
Under Construction: Franciscan Hospital Under Construction: Silver Birch Assisted Living Proposed: North end mixed-use high rise with lake views, 4 story glass covered parking podium, hotel, retail, condo/rentals on the former News Dispatch and police station site. As you can see from the rendering relocating City Hall is a must. The city better not let this building proposal be scaled back to a low-rise or value engineered to death. A well designed glass clad building would be beautiful in this location. If developers the Redevelopment Commission is working with are unwilling or unable to build it then the city needs to find one who possesses the means. Anything less would be a tremendous miss. This would compliment Blue Chip Tower and place Michigan City far ahead of Valpo/Portage giving us the start of a skyline. With another 2 or 3 towers surpassing 10 stories in addition to this one downtown Michigan City would be phenomenal. Proposed: South Shore Station, 11th St. Luckily the rendering of the station says concept only and not final as this would be the opposite of "state of the art"..... I can't believe NICTD is committing $1.5 million with the city picking up any additional costs to preserve that ugly white stone facade and attach it to the new station. That could be a couple million used toward a brand new facility. That facade is grotesque and irrelevant both culturally and historically. There is no sense in allocating that much money for what is essentially trash. This is not the Parthenon! I think a mixed use high rise on the former Works Building site next to Lighthouse Mall where there is an empty field would be an ideal location and perfect for 2-3 floors of retail, an I Max theater, restaurants/nightlife venues with upper story hotel space, office and residential floors with views of the lake and city. MAKE IT HAPPEN! |
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 31st May 2024 - 09:51 PM |
Skin Designed By: neo at www.neonetweb.com